The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf
by perkygirl23
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke is haunted by the occurences that happened a few months ago, and is determined to unveil the mysteries behind it, with pursuing Sakura in the process. Will he win Sakura's heart, or will she end up with someone else, before its too late?
1. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf1

**The Graduation Party**

Perkygirl23

**Author's Note**: Hey Guys! This is my second fanfic ( at last ). It took me a year to finally make a new one, and it's still a SasuSaku fic, thank God. I can't seem to pair Sakura with other guys, so obviously she's stuck with Sasuke-kun.. anyway enjoy my second fanfic as you enjoyed my first one, One Step Back a Time ( if you do ). I would also appreciate if you leave reviews for me to improve the future chaps!

( I do not own Naruto...)

**CHAPTER I**

Haruno Sakura was thinking of winning and losing. She had begun a year at Tokyo optimistically. She had a figured she would earn outstanding grades, be nominated homecoming queen, get accepted at Tokyo University, fall in love with a cute boy and enjoy the rest of her life. She hadn't thought she was asking for more than her fair share until after six months ago, after the ruin of a princess and the death of an angel...

*FLASHBACK

Senior Haruno Sakura returns to school a week late from summer vacation. Her old alma mater has been closed, and Sakura is now attending Eitoku High. Sakura no longer has a locker of her own; she has share one with a certain young man named Uchiha Sasuke. Sasuke has attended Eitoku High since his freshmen year and is the smartest person in the school, while Sakura was the most attractive. Although Sakura is charmed by Sasuke, she sees him more as a friend than a possible boyfriend. Sasuke, however, develops an immediate crush on Sakura.

Sakura's three closest friends have also been transferred to Eitoku High: Yamanaka Ino, Sabako TeMari, and TeMari's stepsister, Hyuuga Hinata. Ino was the most interesting among the three - witty and overconfident. TeMari, on the other hand, is rather neurotic and suffers from poor self-esteem. But it is Hinata whom is Sakura's favourite: a sweet frail girl with a gift for painting. Hinata has a mysterious boyfriend, Aburame Shino. Neither Sakura nor Ino knows a lot about Shino, only that he used to go out with TeMari.

Although Sakura and Hinata are close friends, Sakura didn't know of Hinata's friendship with Sasuke, nor Sasuke knows of Sakura's relationship with Hinata. Sasuke and Sakura were apparently the two most important persons of Hinata's life and has purposely kept them apart so that she can introduce them 'at the right time'. Only Uzumaki Naruto, Sasuke's other bestfriend, knows of Sasuke's feelings towards Sakura.

Another newcomer at Eitoku High is Hinata's distant cousin, Hyuuga Neji, an ex-gang member from the Kanto region. Earlier that afternoon, Neji gets dragged into a heated dispute and fight with a bigoted young man named Rock Li, but the only the intervention of Nara Shikamaru, a gifted chess player, saves Neji from being expelled.

Leaving school that afternoon, Neji meets TenTen, a quiet and optimistic girl. They had a pleasant conversation, leaving Neji feeling confused. Few people have ever treated Neji with anything but contempt.

Leaving school about the same time, Ino accidentally steps across Shikamaru's path while he's in the middle of cross-country race. The resulting collision sends Ino into the bushes. Shikamaru stops to help her up, and Ino is immediately taken by Shikamaru's great body and indifferent manner.

Later, Sakura and Ino convince TeMari to pursue Hinata's idea of having a party, where all Eitoku High's new and old kids can get to know one another. Sakura is anxious to have the party so she can invite Eitoku's handsome quarterback, Sai Hiragizawa.

Unlike the girls who are all rich, Sasuke has to work part-time at a local 7-11 to help his divorced mother to pay the bills. He is at store when Neji stumbles in after an exhausting afternoon searching for a job. After giving hin a trial task, Ssuke offers Neji a job. Sasuke and Neji arrives at a football game that night and are met at the gates by Hinata and her boyfriend, Shino. Hinata persuades Shino to wait with Sasuke and Neji while she dashes off in search of the girl she has told Sasuke about. Sasuke speaks to Shino for a few minutes and thinks he's very strange-almost frightening.

Hinata does not find Sakura, but Sasuke does run into Sakura on his own, and soon realizes that the girl Hinata has been speaking of is Sakura. However, he also notes Sakura's interest on Sai, so he does not reveal neither this fact nor his feelings for Sakura.

The following morning at school, Sasuke and Neji attempt to ask Sakura and TenTen out. But before Sasuke can ask Sakura out, she asks him. Sakura has been having trouble with Chemistry and was hoping Sasuke can tutor her. Sakura's timing is unfortunate; she never learns of Sasuke's intentions towards her. She continues to see him as a friend. Neji's invitation goes smoother, however, and sets a date with TenTen for the following Saturday.

The evening of the big date comes. Sakura talked Shikamaru on taking Ino out, even though she assured Ino that the date was Shikamaru's idea. Sasuke and Sakura, Neji and TenTen, Naruto and Kin, Ino and Shikamaru run into one another at the movies. Everybody's been having a great time, except Ino, who blows up when Shikamaru asks her to pay for the movies. The big night ends with Sasuke taking Sakura back to her house. Sasuke does not kiss Sakura goodnight kiss, much to Sakura's disappointment. She's still keen to get to know Sai, but she has begun to fall for Sasuke. Only Sasuke does not know.

The night of the party arrives. Half the school shows up. TeMari gets into argument with Hinata. She feels that her stepsister has lied to her and has invited Shino to the party. But Hinata swears she hasn't even spoken to Shino. The whole issue gets rather confused when Naruto's friend, Akamichi Kiba, shows up and tries to hit on Hinata but was hurt because he failed. The evening bounds with interesting events: Sakura flirts with Sai; Sasuke feels depressed and wants to leave; Naruto flirts with Kin; and Kin tries to get Sai into bed; Kiba still tries to hit on Hinata; and TeMari tries to hit on Shikamaru.

Eventually the party comes to a close and soon only Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, TenTen and Neji are left in the living room. TeMari is outside, checking the chlorine level of the pool. The others are 'around'. Neji suddenly stands. He has to go to the bathroom. Neji walks towards the stairs and sees Sai bent over the kitchen sink, upset. Upstairs, Neji notices Kiba outside the porch. He passed on several closed doors in the search of a bathroom. In one of them he hears waters running. However, he entered the last room where the light is broken. He stumbles inside, uses the bathroom, and heads downstairs.

He is at the top of the stairs when a sound of a gunshot explodes through the house. Instinctively, Neji runs down the stairs, accidentally banging into TenTen, who is running up the stairs. Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, and TeMari joined TenTen and Neji upstairs. Together, they enter a dark bedroom at the end of the hall. The light was broken, so they lit a candle with Kiba, Kin Naruto and Sai came up behind them.

On the floor, in a pool of blood with a gun in her mouth and a hole at the back of her head, is Hinata.

They bury Hinata a few days later. Everyone assumes it was suicide. But Sasuke knows his dear friend would never have killed herself. When Sakura does not share his point of view, Sasuke yells at her, breaking her heart and his own.

The next day, Sakura has driven to Sasuke's house, hoping to patch up their differences. Sasuke also apologized for yelling at her after Hinata's funeral. Sakura just wants to put the whole incident behind them, so she suggests they go out to a movie together the next day. Sasuke agrees.

Sasuke continues to be haunted by Hinata's death. He wants to study Hinata's autopsy report, just so he could get a clue. Unfortunately, the detective in charge refuses him to see it unless he obtains a signed permission form from Hinata's guardian, an elderly aunt. TeMari has had a difficult time since her stepsister died. Her aunt had a heart attack, and she stays up most of the nights, caring for her. She takes Sasuke's permission form and promises him to have her aunt read it.

TeMari stays up late after Sasuke left. Suddenly, she heard banging at the side of the house. It is Shino—her ex-boyfriend and Hinata's mysterious boyfriend. He denies having killed Hinata, but admits to having gone at the party. In fact, he acts surprised when TeMari does not remember him being there. He takes Sasuke's permission form and puts it in his back pocket, telling TeMari he would take care of it.

Meanwhile, Sakura and TenTen were nominated to the homecoming court the next day, along with Kin. Right after the court was announced, Sai asks Sakura out for that night. Completely forgetting about her previous commitment with Sasuke, Sakura accepts. Sasuke, on the other hand, pays a visit to Kiba on his way home. Kiba is at the top of Sasuke's list of suspects. But after confronting Kiba about the night Hinata died, Sasuke feels confused. Kiba seems to be telling the truth when he says he didn't killed Hinata.

When Sasuke gets home, Sakura calls to say their date is off. She doesn't explain why. The turn of events depresses Sasuke, although not nearly as much as Sakura. Once she realized that she had made two dates at the same time, her guilt chases her. Yet it does not prevent her from trying to seduce Sai. She doesn't get far. He doesn't even kiss her goodnight. To further ruin Sasuke's night, Naruto calls Sasuke that he saw Sakura with Sai the night she was supposed to be out with him. Sakura then realizes that it was Sasuke whom she loves, not Sai. Only she does not reveal this to him, so Sasuke continues to long for her without the hope of ever having her.

Homecoming finally arrives. But Sasuke didn't join the celebration. With Naruto's help of amazingly hacking the coroner's autopsy on Hinata, he was amazed to find out that aside from Hinata's severe brain damage caused by the gunshot, she also suffered a broken nose. Sasuke wondered who could have struck her in the face, and why.

Finally the homecoming queen was finally announced. To Sakura's immense shock, it was TenTen who was named queen, not her. Regrettably, TenTen was not given long to enjoy her victory. After helping Ino clean up after dance, she ascends the float one final time. As she is standing atop the queen's tower, the float collapses beneath her. She lands on an awkward angle that damages her spine. Meanwhile, TeMari returns home from the dance and just misses Shino leaving on his motorcycle. The door to her house has been left open. Inside she finds her aunt dead.

Sasuke, Sakura, Ino, Shkamaru and Neji spends the night at the hospital, waiting for TenTen to come out after the surgery. After several hours, TenTen is finally moved from the operating room to the intensive care unit. Sakura goes in to see her, where she sees TenTen paralyzed from the waist down. Upon seeing Sakura, TenTen blames her for ruining her life. Stricken with guilt, Sakura runs crying away from the hospital, telling Sasuke to stay away from her, that she is no good. Only a few hours later, while studying their school yearbook, Sasuke finds a picture of Shino. It is Sasuke's first lead to the strange guy's true identity. Their school year ends with Sasuke promising to find Shino.

*END OF FLASHBACK


	2. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf2

**The Graduation Party**

Perkygirl23

**CHAPTER II**

Sakura sighed. So far, she had received a C on Chemistry, the same grade she will receive on her report card. Her father held back her application for Tokyo University. Maybe a couple of years at a junior college, he said. Junior college-it sounded like going to a summer camp after expecting climbing on a Mount Everest. Her father has been so disappointed in her. Ino, on the other hand, scored an academic scholarship and is heading for Tokyo University.

Nevertheless, she had found a boy she sort of liked-good ol' Sai. But he was not a real boyfriend. They'd only been out three times. She didn't love him, and she seriously doubted he love her. She was beginning to doubt there really such a thing as love.

" I love this material, " Sakura said to Sai, feeling the upper sleeve of his red shirt. " It feels like silk, "

" It is, " he replied. " My mother bought it for me, "

" For a graduation present? " she asked.

He nodded. " Yeah. And I got a car. A Chevrolet."

" I hope to God it matches your shirt," Ino said.

" It's black. It goes with everything, " Sai said seriously.

Sakura cleared her throat. " Sai, could you do me a favour? Could you get me a book from my locker? " she asked, looking pointedly at Ino.

" Sure. Did you want one in particular? "

Honestly, she didn't care what book he got. She just needed to talk to Ino alone. " My Political Science book, " she replied sweetly.

" We handed those to Kakashi – sensei yesterday. Get her something else. Get her a brush," Ino opposed.

" Do you want a brush? " Sai asked, and now even he was beginning to wonder.

Sakura kept a straight face. " Yeah, I'd appreciate it. "

When Sai was gone, Ino said, " He was lucky he's so good – looking or we'd have to have him stuffed, "

" Leave him alone, he's alright, "

" Oh, I think he's great. I can see why you love him, "

" Right. My feelings go real deep, " Sakura replied sarcastically.

Ino, who had not noticed the tone of her voice, chuckled. " I hope it goes plenty deep tonight, " she said, her excitement barely concealed. " Last night, for our cruise celebration after graduation, I had a long talk with the captain of the ship and arranged a couple of adjacent rooms for our use, because I was the class president so I can take charge of everything. We can have that rooms just for us for three nights. Isn't that neat? "

Sakura was not sure why she was doing this. She and Ino had been virgin since they were born. But now, she just wanted to have some fun, not caring what would happen.

" Shikamaru will be down, Sai's coming to the party, " Ino persisted, shaking off Sakura's melancholy mood. " You think we can't seduce two eighteen – year old boys? "

Sakura remembered back to senior prom night. Sai had kissed her long and hard in his car before dropping her off to her home. Yet, she couldn't have sworn they were passionate kisses. He had made no move to grab or even touch her. It had left her frustrated.

" I don't know if the shower routine is what we want. " Sakura pointed out.

" What's the problem with that? We have the reason to be in the shower when they get to our rooms. People are dirty creatures-they always take a shower. It won't look like a set up. They'll see us naked, we'll squeal, and the rest, is history, "

Sakura smiled weakly. " Yeah, Yeah. I get the point, "

The two of them became quiet for several minutes. Sakura thought if Ino is starting to doubt about the set up, but Ino spoke up. " Sakura? "

" Yes? "

" Sasuke was here a while ago. He came here to get his toga. "

" Sasuke? " The strength completely went out of her. The guilt that chases her for the past six months came back.

_Don't be stupid, _she thought. _You didn't kill Hinata. You didn't crippled TenTen. You're not the reason why Sasuke left town. _Yet she felt as if she allowed all those things to happen.

" Why didn't you tell me? " she asked Ino.

" You just got here, "

" But where is he? " she quickly scanned the courtyard, almst afraid to find him. " Where did he go? "

" I don't know, " Ino answered.

" What do you mean you don't know? When did this happen? Since when have you known he's come back? "

" Since yesterday, "

" Why didn't you tell me? " Sakura accused.

" You didn't ask me, "

" Why should I have to ask you? "

" Because you keep telling me you don't care when we talk about him, "

" I don't care. I mean, what's there to care about? He left town, didn't even say goodbye, " Sakura ranted. She paused a little. " How did he look? "

" Great, " Ino answered.

Sakura smiled. " Did he? "

Ino smiled too. " Yeah. His hair's longer, and he's got a tan, "

" I've always wanted him to grow his hair, " she said dreamily. Then she bounced on her feet. " I've got to find him. I'll talk to you later, "

" Good Luck, " Ino said.

Yeah, Sakura thought. She wished she had all the luck she could get to find Sasuke.

Sasuke drove downtown Osaka because he made an appointment with Dr. Tsunade, a forensic expert that examined Hinata's corpse.

" Hajimemashite. I'm Tsunade. And you are? "

" Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke. "

" Pleased to meet you, Sasuke-san. Here, have a seat, " she said as she motioned him to sit in front of her desk.

" Thank You, "

As Sasuke sat down, Tsunade spoke, " I believe you have some favour to ask of me, Am I right? You said so when you called me last week, "

" Well, yes. I wanted to question you about an autopsy you performed on a friend of mine. Her name was Hyuuga Hinata. "

Tsunade turned on the computer on her desk. " H-Y-U-U-G-A? "

" Yes, "

Tsunade typed the name. A moment later, an autopsy report appeared on the screen. Sasuke recognized it; he had, afterall, have read it several times, thanks to Naruto's amazingly hacking abilities. Tsunade frowned. " I remember the name Hyuuga when you said it. A most interesting case. "

" Why? '' Sasuke asked.

" I believe you are a friend of hers, but why are you concerned about the results of her autopsy? "

Sasuke hesitated. " I think Hyuuga Hinata was murdered, "

" Why? "

He hesitated again. " I've read your report, "

" Did the police showed it to you? "

" Not exactly, "

The doctor smiled. " You are an intriguing young man. I won't ask you how you managed that. I don't believe I want to know, " she said as she glanced at the computer screen.

Sasuke spoke quickly, " Why did you remembered the name? What was most interesting about the case? ''

" The fracture in her nasal cartilage, "

" You didn't think it was caused by the fall? "

" I didn't say that, " the doctor replied.

" How else could she have broken her nose? "

" Any number of ways. She could have across the face, or rather, struck directly on the nose. There were no scratches on her cheeks, nor any other signs that she had been in a struggle, "

Sasuke continued, " In your report you mentioned brain hemorrhage that appears unconnected to the path of the bullet, "

" It may have been unconnected. What are you getting at? "

" I have thought about this a great deal. I was there the night of the party. "

" Go on, "

Sasuke paused a little, remembering the night of the party. " I think she was dead before she was shot, "

Tsunade thought a moment. " It's possible, but unlikely. Why would someone quietly and effectively kill her with a blow to the nose and then put the gun in her mouth and fire a shot that alerted everyone in the house? "

" To give the impression it had not been a murder, but a suicide, and to give the police an excuse not to investigate, "

" You sound angry, " Tsunade noticed.

Sasuke felt tightness in his throat. " She was very dear to me, " He started to get up. " You've told me what I wanted to know. Thank you, doctor, "

Tsunade glanced at the screen for the last time. " There is one other thing you might want to consider. If someone did strike her, then he must have done it with a baseball bat. Either that or he was a strong devil. " Tsunade put a hand on her chin, nodding thoughtfully. "Incredibly strong, " 

Hyuuga Neji drove fast down the coast, reaching Sapporo in less than four hours. He had never been in a rehabilitation clinic before. Since TenTen's discharge from the hospital three months ago, Neji had spoken to her on the phone every week. Each time, she had sounded much the same, quiet and withdrawn. Yet, the bitterness that had arisen after the accident remained. Sometimes, he felt as if he were talking to a complete stranger, that he was in love with someone who no longer existed.

She was sitting outside, waiting for him as he walked toward the front stairs. Only she wasn't simply sitting; she was sitting on a wheelchair.

_Oh, Jesus, please heal her, _he thought. Neji was a big, strong, young man but he almost broke down and cried at that moment.

" Hi, TenTen, " he greeted. He wondered if it would be okay to hug her, if he would hurt her.

" Hello, Neji, " she said, glancing up at him. " Thanks for coming, "

" It was no problem. It's good to see you again, "

" It's good to see you too, " she replied as she nodded at her bulging suitcases. " I'm already cheched out. We can go. "

He stepped past her and picked up the suitcase. Then, he helped her into the front seat of his car.

" Nice car, " TenTen complimented.

" Thanks. Kiba sold it to me cheap, "

" Kiba-I remember him, "

" I bumped into him in the parking lot when I was leaving school this morning. He told me to tell you he'd like to see you. Sasuke also said he was looking forward into seeing you again, "

" Good old Sasuke. Is he still searching for a murderer? "

There was an edge to her question, but not of sarcasm; she really wanted to know. " He doesn't talk to me about it, " he replied, feeling uncomfortable. He wanted to touch her, to kiss her, to comfort her, but it's as if she's still a hundred miles away, wrapped in a cool, protective shell.

" I bet he is, " she said.

" You want me to help you find the murderer, are you? "

" You'll help me, "

" How? "

She smiled, slow and calculating. " You'll know when the time comes, "


	3. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf3

**The Graduation Party**

Perkygirl23

**CHAPTER III**

Sakura was already feeling cranky. The stadium stands were packed, and the graduation ceremony would start in minutes. She was heading toward the stands to buy herself a cold, refreshing drink-when she caught sight of Sasuke standing alone at the far end of the stadium. He had his head down and appeared to be in deep thought. She hesitated to disturb him. As Ino mentioned, his hair was a lot longer, and he looked so damn good to her that she found herself jogging toward him before she knew what she was doing.

" Sasuke? "

He glanced up with a start. Then he smiled. " Sakura, "

She laughed with relief. She could have cried. She spread her arms wide and gave him a big hug. It might have been the best moment of her life when he hugged her back. Except he had to let her go. What a mush she had become.

" It's good to see you again, " he said casually.

" Same to you. So, how have you been? "

" Nothing much. How about you? "

" Just the same, "

Silence followed. Sakura cringed a bit-she must knew this was coming, for Sasuke was not really a talker. _Think, Sakura, think! _Inner Sakura ranted, _What a shame, Sasuke – kun must think you're boring. _

" Shut it, " Sakura hissed, cursing her inner self.

Sasuke raised his brow. " Excuse me? "

Sakura smiled sheepishly. " No, that was nothing, " she replied, feeling totally embarrassed. _Why am I so nervous around Sasuke?_ She thought. _I was not like this way when Sai is around. _Sasuke continued to stare at her, wondering what she's thinking. Sakura desperately searched a topic. " Hey, Ino - pig told me you're the valedictorian this year. Congratulations! Your parents must be really proud, "

" Thanks. You've met before right? It's just your parents I don't know yet, " Sasuke replied.

" That's right. You didn't see them when we went out, "

_Hint, Hint, Hint. Ask me out again._

Of course Sasuke hadn't asked her out in the first place. He never had in all the time they had spent together. She must have been crazy to think he liked her. 

Sasuke heaved a deep breath, feeling relieved. When he arrived this afternoon, he never expected to see Sakura running to him, hugging him all of a sudden. He was overwhelmed by the fact, sure, but he still notes Sakura's relationship with Sai. When he hugged her back, all the happiness that drained off him these past few months came back; it's as if Sakura was the light in his dark life. Unfortunately, he couldn't tell her as well as show her what he feels; she would be totally shocked and stay away from him for sure. _It's better this way, _Sasuke thought darkly, feeling a bit sorry for himself. _At least they would remain as good friends and she will always remain by his side, although not exactly the kind he expects to. _

" I've missed you, Sasuke, " Sakura said sincerely, touching his shoulder tenderly.

" Yeah, I-I've missed you, too, " Sasuke stammered, feeling as though there was a huge balloon swelling up inside him. _Stop it, _he scolded himself. _She must think you're a total idiot, stammering in front of her. _

Sakura smiled sadly upon hearing Sasuke's reply. She feels guilty all of a sudden, as if the happy feeling inside her a while ago was extinguished. She wants to run away from him, again. She didn't deserve him. She was going to seduce the football quarterback tonight. It was all she was good for.

She suddenly felt as if she was going to cry. Here it was her last day of school, a beautiful summer day. She had everything; rich and understanding parents, wonderful friends, perfect health, a bright future. Yet she had nothing. She had no love. Hinata was gone. Sasuke was leaving after graduation. And TenTen hated her.

It was at that precise moment that she saw TenTen. Neji was guiding her across the field. Sakura froze. Sasuke glanced at her face, then followed her eyes.

" I was going to tell you that, " he said, not meeting her gaze.

" I know. I'll talk to you later, okay? I have to get in line, " Sakura mumbled. She walked off and hid in the crowd. TenTen had asked Sakura never to make her see her again. It was the least she could do for her crippled friend.

Sasuke sighed heavily after Sakura disappeared from his sight. He reached inside his coat and pulled a small beige satin box. It contains a silver ring that he bought in a jewelry shop across town. He had saved all of the excess money from his salary in his part-time job for a few months to buy this one-of-a-kind ring. Alas, he was going to give this to Sakura on their homecoming dance, but an accident happened, and his hopes faded away along with it. He was going to ask her to marry him, to be his queen, but it's as if fate always conspires them. In fact, he even practiced the lines he would tell her if ever he had the chance to propose to her that day in his room. He does it regularly, every night before going to bed.

After their graduation party, he thought, he was going to forget Sakura once and for all. He was going to let her be happy with her true love, Sai. But for now, before the graduation party ends, he thought inwardly, he was going to savour the moment he will still have with Sakura; if there were any.

As she was walking off, Sakura felt she bumped onto somebody. It was TeMari.

" Hi, Sakura, " she greeted.

Sakura hugged her old friend tight. TeMari had suffered far more than any of them, and Sakura had courageously helped her the last few months avoiding her. Not entirely, but they no long hung out as real friends do. The reason was because they were both down, and Sakura thought that being with equally depressed people will only make the situation awful. Being with TeMari only made her feel worse.

" How do you do? " TeMari asked as she winced slightly.

" Fine. Do you have a headache? "

" Yeah, "

Sakura wiped the sweat from her brow. " It's this sun, "

" It's sunny everyday, " TeMari answered absentmindedly as she searched the stands.

" Looking for somebody? " Sakura asked, noticing.

" No, nobody, "

" Okay, " Sakura said. She hugged TeMari again. " Look, I have to get in line, okay? See you at the cruise later, "

" Sure. I'm on my way to get aspirins, anyway. "

After graduation, dinner with parents was far more enjoyable than Sakura had anticipated. They hadn't bought up her future for once. Their conversation revolved mainly on the ceremony. Her mother fell in love with Sasuke when he gave his valedictory speech.

" He seems such a nice boy. How come you only went out with him once, Sakura? "

Sakura merely shrugged. Then, after dinner, she and Ino stopped at the first drugstore they saw to but contraceptives. It was barely after six and the ship was set to sail at seven.

" So, what are we going to get? " Ino asked as she turned off her car's engine.

Sakura shrugged. " I dunno. I think we should ask for the pharmacist's recommendation. "

" No way. I'd be too embarrassed. "

" What's the big deal? They're professionals. I'll wait for you here, "

Ino narrowed her eyes. " Hold on a second, sister. I'm not going in there alone. You go in. "

" Why me? " Sakura asked.

" You look more innocent, "

" More the reason you should do it, you slut, " Sakura grinned.

" I wish I had more slut in me, " Ino said.

" Is someone having second thoughts? "

" No, " Ino replied quickly. " I was just wondering, you know, if it will hurt. I've heard it can. Have you heard that? "

Sakura nodded solemnly. " Yeah. I read abput this one-a girl had sex for the first time and she bled so much that she needed a transfusion, "

Ino snorted. " Get out of here, "

Sakura asked, " Well, what are we going to get? "

" There are choices. Sponges, foams, condoms,-"

" Guys aren't supposed to like to wear condoms, "

" I've heard that too, " Ino replied. " But it's safer, "

" Ok, c'mon. I'll go with you. We're wasting time. "

They entered the pharmacy. The attendant was a good-looking male, at least 20 years old or more.

" Can I help you two at something? " he asked.

" No, " they said together in unison. They looked at each other, panicking. Sakura leaned towards Ino's ear and whispered. " Let's get out of here! Let's go somewhere else! "

" No, " Ino hissed. " We don't have time! "

" This is totally humiliating. I'd rather have the baby, "

" You're coming to the counter with me, Sakura, "

" What? I'm just here to get a toothbrush, "

" Sakura! "

They walked innocently towards the aisle of kids' plastic animal toys. " Now what? " Ino mouthed.

Sakura thought for a moment. " Okay, here's what we'll do. I'll get the attendant's attention so that he could help me pick out what kind of these kids' toys are better, then you grab he 'stuff', and pay it to the cashier, "

" Why don't I get the one who'll be picking up the toy? "

" Because I thought about it first. Now go, "

Ino sulked over the laxative section. Sakura smiled and waved her hand. The guy attendant immediately hurried to her side. He was tall, with a lean and muscular body. She could tell that he liked her.

" Looking for something? " he asked.

" I wanted to ask you about this toy, " she replied, picking up a brown horse plastic toy.

" Yes? "

" Uh, how much is it? "

He checked the price, which was clearly marked on the side. " two twenty five dollars, "

" Oh, " she said jerkily. Ino reached the proper area and was quickly examining the boxes on the shelves. " What kind of horse is it? ''

" It looks like the Trojan horse, "

" Oh, "

He smiled uncertainly. '' Buying it for a nephew? "

" Yeah, "

The guy continued to speak to her. " Do you live somewhere around here? "

Sakura continued to look on Ino, who was now in a hurry to pay on the counter. Unfortunately, the door swung open to reveal someone who arrived. To Ino's disgust, it was Naruto. Ino didn't like Naruto-she thinks he's too slimy, especially when he used to stalk her until he found Kin. However, he just wouldn't stop harassing Ino. He thinks he still likes her and thinks she has a kindred soul-and an amazing butt.

" Ino! My darling! What are you doing here? " Naruto greeted with a manic glint in his eyes.

Ino turned an unhealthy shade of green. She ignored Naruto. However, Naruto didn't gave in easily. He picked up one of the boxes over the counter. Devilish glint filled his face. " Condoms! Tsk, tsk. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caughty! "

" Is this all? " the cashier asked. Ino nodded stiffly.

Naruto put his arm lovingly around Ino. " This is all new to her, you know. Look, she's blushing! "

" My name's Kankorou. What's yours? " the guy asked Sakura.

" Why? '' Sakura replied distractedly, watching Ino and Naruto.

" I was just wondering whether we could get together sometime? "

" I can't. I'm married, " Sakura blurted out. Kankorou stared.

" Give my regards to Sai, Sakura, " Naruto said finally, waving goodbye. " But if I were you, I'd keep Ino's receipts, " he added, with his usual devilish smile.

" Thank You, " Ino said to the cashier, ready to go. Sakura gave back the Trojan horse to Kankorou and chased after Ino. They climbed back to the car. Ino glanced over at Sakura and remarked, " That wasn't so bad, "

Sakura stuck the keys into the ignition, her hands trembling. " We handled it like matured adults, " she agreed.


	4. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf4

**The Graduation Party**

Perkygirl23

**CHAPTER IV**

Sasuke parked down the street from Aburame Shino's house and removed his gun from the glove compartment. He knocked on the door. Shino answered quickly. He had on a sweaty grey shirt and black pants.

" Can I help you? " Shino asked.

" Maybe. I dunno if you remember me. My name's Uchiha Sasuke. I met you at the football game at Eitoku High. You were with Hinata. "

" What do you want? " he asked, his voice cautious, but not hostile.

" I'd like to come in and talk about Hinata. If that would be alright? "

Shino considered a moment. " All right. "

He held open the screen door. " The place is a mess. It always is, "

It was messy only because it was crammed with paintings and artistic paraphernalia; the guy could draw, Sasuke noticed as he glanced at one of the paintings. There was a creature. A manfly. It was kissing a girl on the neck, probably sucking her blood. The girl looked like TeMari. The other paintings all have insects in it.

Shino sat down and crossed his long legs at the ankles. " You were a friend of Hinata's, weren't you? ''

" Yeah, "

" What did you want to talk to me about Hinata? "

" Well, she's dead, you know, "

" Yeah, I know, " Shino replied, betraying no signs of grief. " I read about it in the papers. "

" Did you come at the party at that night? "

" No. Hinata didn't invite me. Were you there? "

" Yeah. Why didn't Hinata invite you? "

" I dunno. She was mad at me. "

Shino took a gulp of beer and set down the can. " What's this? "

" What's what? "

" Why are you here? Who gave you my address? "

" I discovered your address by mistake. As for your other question-I have doubts about how she died. The police say it was suicide. I think they might be wrong. "

" You think she was murdered? "

" I think it's a possibility, "

Shino thought a moment. His eyes never left Sasuke. " Go on, " he said finally.

" Do you think she murdered herself? "

" I wasn't there, "

" But you were her boyfriend. Did she show any signs she was about to commit suicide? "

" No. when I read about it, I was surprised. You want beer? "

" I'll take one. "

" Tell me more about Hinata's party, " Shino asked, staring.

" It was big, with lots of people, coming and going, " Sasuke replied. He felt uncomfortable under Shino's scrutinizing gaze. Shino was impossible to read. His expression was as flat as a dead man's.

" Yeah? " Shino said. He didn't appear overly interested in the details of the party.

" But there were only a few people there when Hinata died, "

The temperature inside the house had to be over a hundred. Sasuke was dying to remove his jacket, but he thought of the gun stuck inside. He wasn't going to kill Shino. He had meant only to bring the gun so he could scare Shino into telling him the truth. He took another gulp of beer.

" Have you been to Hyuuga house much? " Sasuke asked.

" No, "

" Oh, " Sasuke said. He noticed a fly leaped onto the shoulder of Shino's grey shirt. Shino ignored it. The physical presence of Shino was intimidating him. And that stupid fly. He had always hated flies. " Have you been to see TeMari since Hinata died? " he asked.

" No, "

" But I spoke to TeMari this morning. She said you were at her house the night her aunt died. "

" She's wrong, "

The fly crawled toward Shino's neck, pausing beneath his Adam's apple. He musn't be able to feel it. Or else he liked flies.

_Of course he likes flies, _Sasuke thought. _He's always painting them. _

" TeMari also thought you were there the night of the party? " Sasuke asked.

" She wanted me to come at the end, but I didn't, "

" So you were invited? "

" Why were you asking me all these questions? "

" I told you why, " Sasuke answered quietly.

" The paper I read said Hinata died with a gun in her mouth? "

" That's right, "

" That doesn't sound like murder to me, "

" The gun in her mouth didn't kill Hinata, " Sasuke replied, straining to keep his voice steady. " She was killed by a blow to the nose, "

Shino showed a flicker of interest. He moved closer to Sasuke. " Go on, "

" It was kind of setup, " Sasuke began. " We were downstairs in the living room when we heard this shot. But the shot-"

The fly suddenly buzzed from behind Shino and went straight for Sasuke. It had a chosen a bad time. Sasuke was in middle of adjusting his coat when the fly made him move slightly, as if it were going for something inside his coat. Shino, obviously suspected Sasuke was carrying a weapon, snapped his right foot up and kicked Sasuke's rib, sending him toppling backward. The back of his skull hit the wall hard.

Shino loomed above, the manfly painting in his hands. Then, he swung the frame right onto Sasuke's head, cutting the top of his scalp. He felt the gun slip from his coat. The next thing he knew, Shino was leaning over him, grabbing Sasuke's gun.

" I didn't kill her dude, " Shino hissed, showing some emotions at last. " She was my girl. Maybe it was you who killed her. Maybe I should kill you. What do you say to that, Mr. Uchiha? "

" Go to hell, " Sasuke whispered, blacking out.

He woke up an hour later. His hair and shirt were a mess with ticky, wet blood. Shino was gone. So was the gun. He sat up and groaned, the room spinning around him. He noticed Shino's book still facedown on the floor. He crawled toward it.

Shino had been reading Romeo and Juliet.

Although he had been in a hurry to reach the harbour when he left Shino's house, Sasuke soon realized he could not board the ship with his hair and clothes full of blood. Now he stood at the edge of the party and above the ocean. _Haven_ was the name of the ship. It was a big ship. Sasuke was wondering Shino was on board when Neji came out of the main lounge and joined him by the rail.

" You look kind of down, "

" I'm alright, " Sasuke replied.

" Have you talked to Sakura today? "

" Not really. How's TenTen? "

Neji frowned. " Very quiet, "

" Has she told you why she wanted to come tonight? "

" No, but she's got something on her mind. She seems to be waiting, "

Sasuke glanced. He tapped Neji on the shoulder. " I'll catch up with you, buddy, "

Sasuke turned toward the deck and checked it. _Am I checking for Shino or Sakura? _He thought.

He found TeMari instead. She stood alone against the entrance of _Haven_.

" Is your headache better? "

She jumped slightly at the sound of his voice. " I'm alright, " she replied.

" Having fun? "

" I'm cold, "

" Why don't you go inside and have a hot drink? I'll have one with you, " Sasuke offered.

She stared at him. " He likes me cold, "

" Come again? "

" He told me to stay alive and stay cold. He's weird, "

Sasuke stared, finally understanding her last statement. " I saw him today, "

It didn't surprise her. " At the cemetery? " she asked.

" No, I went to his house. Did you see him at the cemetery? "

She nodded. " Before I came to the harbour, " she answered.

" When was that? "

" Five o'clock, six o' clock? "

Shino must have gone straight to the cemetery after knocking him out. " Did he have a gun with him? " Sasuke asked.

" I didn't see everything in his bag, " she said as she chewed her lower lip, looking exhausted.

" Is he on board? " he asked.

" Yes, "

" Where? "

" I don't know, "

" You must have some idea? " Sasuke pushed.

" I don't. he comes and goes, like lightning, "

Sasuke paused a little. " Why is he here? " he asked.

" I can't tell you, "

" Why not? "

" He'll kill me, " she replied.

" Does he intend to kill me? "

" If you get in his way, "

Sasuke paused again. He's becoming more and more confused now, but then he remembered something. " TeMari, back in November, I gave you a form for your aunt to sign. What did you do with it? "

" I gave it Shino, "

" Why? "

" He wanted it, "

" When and where did you give it to him? "

" In my backyard, during the storm, " she shivered. " I'm going to take a warm bath now, now, Sasuke. I don't care what he says. I have to warm my blood, "

" I'll see you around, " he muttered, distracted. As TeMari turned and walked away, for an instant, something clicked on his mind in the right place. It's as if someone flicked the light bulb in his head. She had given him the answer! Suddenly, he'd had the entire solution to the night of the party, to the whole, crazy year.

Sasuke surfaced into the night air at the shp's stern. He was surprised to find Sakura standing alone and staring back at the ocean. Sasuke wondered why Sakura had been spending all time by herself. He tactfully cleared his throat, and she turned around.

" Hi, Sasuke, " she greeted, smiling.

He stepped closer to her, his knees trembling, his heart beating faster than before. " You should have a jacket on. It's getting chilly, " Despite his remark, he liked the way she was dressed-in a tight, white cropped pants and a light blue sleeveless sweater, her long pink tresses reaching almost to her waist. He supposed she could have a sack carrying with her and he still would have found her perfectly presentable.

" I'll change later, " she said.

Sasuke smiled, feeling uneasy and happy. " Why aren't you inside? "

" Why aren't you? "

" No fair. I asked first. "

" It's so loud inside. It was giving me a headache. "

He nodded. " I'm not a great party person myself, "

Sakura smiled. " I thought you weren't going to come. You cut it pretty tight. "

" Yeah. I had some business to take care of, "

" What was it? "

" Oh nothing. Just stuff, "

Sakura was staring t his head strangely. She reached out to touch his hair. He stopped her and grabbed her hand away from his hair. She was taken aback by his action, so he held her hand more carefully. He knew his head was still bleeding. He wished he'd have time to get it stitched. He couldn't very well bandage it now.

" Your hair was wet when you came aboard, too, " she remarked, pulling her hand back. _Too bad, _Sasuke thought. _It felt so good to hold her hand. _" You're the one going to catch a cold. I should find you a towel, " she continued.

He could just imagine the color he would turn the towel. Fortunately, in his black hair, the blood was hardly recognizable, even under better lighting.

" I know where a towel is, Sakura, " he said.

" Okay, " she forced a smile. " Maybe I should just…" she paused, staring. " Are you bleeding? "

He practically leaped away from the rail. " I scratched my ear. I think I'll go clean it up. It's nothing big. I'll talk to you later, "

Her face was still full of concern. " Are you sure you're alright? "

" I'm fine, really, "

He was about to dash off when Sakura spoke, " Um, Sasuke? "

" Hm? "

" Can I sign your yearbook? "

" Sure. I'll give it to you later, " he cupped his hand to his ear and backed away from her. He entered a bathroom and set to stop the bleeding, away from Sakura's concerned eyes.

Author's Note: Sooo, what do you think? Keep the reviews coming please!


	5. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf5

**The Graduation Party**

PerkyGirl23

**CHAPTER V**

The cramped and dimly lit bathroom behind the galley was empty. He was lucky, none of the blood had gotten onto the collar of his coat. Locking the door, he grabbed a whole roll of toilet paper and pressed at to the scalp of his head. The wound was deep and ragged. If he washed his head in the sink, the bleeding would only worsen. Sasuke stopped the bleeding and cleaned up as best as he could when he felt dizzy again. He grabbed the edge of the sink, fighting to steady himself, his reflection in the mirror splitting into two. Before he could focus his eyes into focus, he saw he saw-in the mottled glass-Shino standing behind him. Not the Shino of this afternoon, but the one from last autumn, pale and drugged, arrogant and frightening. Sasuke jerked around frantically, his heart racing, then shook himself for foolish. Of course there was no one there.

After cleaning up his wound, he got out of the bathroom and began to walk around the lounge. The lounge was noisy as Sakura had said it would be. He saw Naruto at the corner with Kin. Naruto was whispering something on Kin's ear, and she giggled. Naruto had a bottle of whiskey on his hand, while his other wrapped around Kin's waist. Sasuke suspected that was not Naruto's first bottle. Sasuke tapped him on the shoulder.

" Naruto, I have to talk to you, "

" What? I can't hear you, "

" I said I want to talk to you! C'mon! "

" Go talk to Ino! She loves to talk! " Naruto yelled. Kin giggled harder than ever. Sasuke cursed. Kin was not helping at all. He regained his composure. Naruto was drunk. He heaved a deep breath. " Give me two minutes and I'll get you back inside, "

Naruto stared at him, hesitating. Then he broke into a large, sloppy smile. " Sure thing, Sasuke ol' pal! Speak, Sasuke, and may your words may be inspired! "

Sasuke grabbed him by the arm and led Naruto towards a quiet table in the galley.

" I wanted to ask you about the night of Hinata's party, "

Naruto's joyful demeanor faded. He shook his head slightly. " That poor girl. She was so beautiful. Had she lived, she may have gotten to know me better, " Then he paused and eyed Sasuke. " You don't think I killed her? "

" Of course not, "

Naruto nodded, relaxing. " That is good. The Naruto can be nasty, but he only wants to have fun, " he burped.

" I have a problem with that night, Naruto. The bedroom next to the one where Hinata died-who was in there? "

" Was is not the nasty Naruto himself? "

" Was it? "

Naruto hesitated. " Is this a trick question? "

" Were you in the room just before the shot was fired? "

Naruto spoke reluctantly. " It was me, "

" Were you with Kin? "

" The Naruto is well known for his privacy and silence. This is a delicate subject. "

" Please, Naruto. I want to know the truth. Was Kin in there with you or not? "

" Yes, " Naruto replied.

" How about anyone else? "

" No. Yes. "

" What does that supposed to mean? " Sasuke asked impatiently.

" Sai was in there before I got n there, "

" With Kin? "

" Yes, " Naruto answered, closing his eyes.

" What were they doing? "

Naruto opened his eyes suddenly, and shook his head vehemently. " Nothing. Absolutely nothing, " he grinned devilishly.

Sasuke chose to ignore Naruto's reaction. " And then you entered the room? Right after Sai left? "

" Yes, "

" Why you didn't tell me this six months ago? " Sasuke accused.

" The Naruto is well known for his-"

" Cut the crap, Naruto, "

Naruto lowered his head and took a deep breath. " I was trying to protect Kin's reputation, "

Sasuke smirked. " But you bragged in the car on the way to the party, in front of Neji and me. You bragged on how many condoms you used on her before you even went out with her, "

" I didn't, "

" Yes, you did, "

" No. I didn't have sex with Kin in our first date. "

" Then why did you say you did? "

Naruto grinned. " At the time the topic made for a stimulating conversation. "

Sasuke smirked. _The pervert, _he thought. " All right, back to the night of the party. How did you just happen to be upstairs and see Sai leaving the bedroom? "

" I was standing outside the bedroom door, listening to what was happening inside. "

" And what was that? "

" I don't know. Nothing, " Naruto repeated, shaking his head vehemently again.

Sasuke frowned. " That's the second time you've said that. Anyway, nevermind, did Sai see you when he left the room? "

" He bumped into me, "

" Was he mad at you? "

" He was upset, "

" At you? " Sasuke guessed.

" No, "

" What was he upset about? "

" Kin and he weren't getting along, " Naruto replied, shrugging. " I went inside to see how she was. I guess it was good timing on my part, "

Sasuke felt as if he were missing something obvious in the situation. " Were you and Kin having sex when the gun was fired? "

" Sasuke! That is a very personal question. I do not feel morally bound to answer it, "

Sasuke stared at Nauto and paused, then continued. " Did you hear anything coming from across the room before the shot was fired? "

" No, "

Sasuke paused again, finally understanding the least part of the puzzle. " You two were having sex for the first time, and after doing it, you started to fall for her and feel protective of her, "

" Is there something wrong with that? "

" Did you have condoms with you? "

" That's none of your business, " Naruto snapped, showing a rare flash of anger. Then he showed something ore rare. His face sagged into deep lines of pain. " I didn't. I was careless. "

Sasuke leaned closer. " She got pregnant? "

" Yes. She had an abortion, Sasuke. I talked her onto it, "

" You made a mistake. Everybody makes mistakes. "

Naruto looked at him with red eyes. " I murdered my own son, "

" How did you know it was a boy? "

" Of course it was a boy, " Naruto replied, insulted. " I wouldn't have a female for a first born, "

Sasuke frowned. " Naruto, try to remember that it was a woman who brought you into this world, "

Naruto was confused. " What about Baby Naruto? "

" What about Kin? "

Naruto brightened suddenly. " We're getting married! "

" What? "

Naruto nodded. " It's time I settled down. I want you to be my maid of honour, "

Sasuke snorted. " You mean your best man, "

" Yeah, whatever. "

" Congratulations, "

Naruto beamed. " I've cancelled my subscription to Playboy magazine, that's how serious I am, "

" Great. Oh, there's one more thing. Now that school's over, how often did you use the computer codes to change stuff? "

Naruto scratched his head. " I can't remember, "

" What about the homecoming? Did Sakura get elected queen? "

Naruto hesitated. " Yes. I couldn't put in Kin. People were too down on her because of the abortion talk. And Kin wouldn't stand for Sakura for being queen. She hates her. TenTen was neutral. "

" But Sakura should have been queen, " Sasuke insisted.

" Nah, Kin should have been queen, "

" Maybe, maybe not. " Sasuke said. _Did someone tampered with the float thinking it was Sakura? _" How about TenTen? "

Naruto shrugged. " What can I say? I'm only Naruto; I'm not God, "

Sasuke shrugged again. " At least we've made some progress tonight, "

TeMari lay soaking in the steaming tub, staring at her naked body. Her figure was fabulous. She had large firm breast, a narrow waist, smooth wrinkle-free thighs, and soft, creamy skin. Any normal guy, she thought miserably, would have been happy to climb into the tub with her.

The door to the bathroom lay wide open. Shino prowled the room beyond. In the last half hour, he hadn't so much peeked in. she didn't understand it. She had been hoping he would come in and join her, make love to her, but she halted shy at Hinata's memory. It had really hurt her feelings that he'd had her pose nude all those times and not once stopped painting to touch her.

" TeMari, " Shino said. He stood outside the bathroom.

" What? "

" What are doing? "

" Nothing. What are you doing? "

" I'm waiting for you, "

" Go away, "

" You're not happy to see me? "

" No, " TeMari replied.

" Then why did you call? "

" I didn't call, "

" Then why I am here? " Shino asked.

" I don't know, "

Shino stopped to look at the picture on the bedside table. It was a picture of her aunt. Shino grinned as he looked at it. " She finally choked to death, I see. " he said.

" The doctors said she went peacefully in her sleep, "

" But doctors lie, "

" Did you smother her? " TeMari asked angrily.

Shino shrugged. " She was old and ugly, "

" I hate you, "

He chuckled. " You hated her. You hated taking care of her. "

" That's not true! Get out of here and leave me alone! "

" I'm not leaving, " Shino said quietly. " It's our last chance, "

" For what? "

" To even the score, "

" They didn't killed her! She killed herself! " she cried.

" That's a lie. You're lying to me again, "

" Then you killed her, "

He grinned. He had ugly lips, like a fish. It made her sick to remember all the times they had kissed. " Closer to the truth, TeMari. But not close enough. Go on, "

" What? "

" Tell me how I killed Hinata, "

" I was outside in the backyard, " she replied.

" All right. We'll say the party killed her. If there hadn't been a party, there would he still a Hinata."

TeMari nodded wearily. " Yeah, "

Shino went to his bag, pulling a tiny metal clock, black and red wires. " Most of the kids who were at the party were in this ship, "

" You're not going to blow up the ship! "

" Of course not, "

" You better not, "

He laughed. " I'm just going to put a hole in it. You remember the party? All the kiddies were in the pool. They know how to swim, "

" Not all of them, " TeMari said.

" Who doesn't know? " he asked gleefully.

" Sakura. " That was a fact. Sakura had grown up with a pool in her backyard and was going to Hawaii next week, but she had never learned to swim. She had almost drowned as a child. She was terrified of the water.

" Who talked you into the party? " Shino asked.

" Sakura. And Ino. "

An open razor blade rested on the soap tray next to TeMari's head. She picked it up and pressed the tip of the blade into her right wrist. For a second, nothing happened, and she wondered if she had a dull blade. Then a drop of blood drew a line down the pink flesh of her wrist.

He finally entered the bathroom. " And what do you think you're doing? "

She crossed her arms over her breasts, trying to hide her wrists. The red blood spilled over her nipples. " I accidentally cut myself, "

He strode to the tub and leaned over, grabbing the razor blade and holding it inches from her face. " I'll show you an accident. I'll cut your eyes out. "

" No, " she cried, suddenly terrified of the man in front of her.

" I'll cut your tongue, make you eat it. Then you can bleed all you want. "

" I won't do it again, I swear. Stop it, Shino! "

He stood and threw the blade aside. Then he picked up her hair dryer and flipped it on. " You're getting out of that water this 's too hot for a bitch as cold as you, "

He threw the hair dryer into the tub. The electrical shock hit TeMari's brain like an exploding dynamite. She began to scream.

**Author's Note: **Hey readers! So how was that? Sorry for the late update. I'm in the middle of cramming for my exams, that's why. Anyway, please review more so I will not be able to run out of ideas!


	6. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf6

**The Graduation Party**

Perkygirl23

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! This is my sixth chapter, sorry for the late update.. I'm having a hard time thinking of flow of the story.. anyway, please enjoy this chapter, for this is the longest chap I've made. I hope you're not going to hate Sakura in this part, I'm just going to make the story more interesting…

Please review!

I don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER VI**

The night went on. The air grew colder. The fog grew thicker. Once again, Sakura sat on her bed in the cabin, waiting for Sai. Ino's in the other room, doing the same thing, however, for Shikamaru. They had talked the two boys to come to their rooms to have a private little party at Ino's room. Only one thing had become clear: she was not giving up her virginity in joy. She just wanted to get over it.

She decided to have a shower-Sai's coming in any minute. She removed her robe and went inside. _Just our luck if Sai had brought his buddies with him, _Sakura's inner self chuckled. She cringed at the thought, no, she and Ino made it clear that they are to come alone.

Several minutes went by. During that time she scrubbed herself from neck to toe. Finally, there came a knock at the door. Naturally, she had left the bathroom door open-it was part of the plan.

" Sai? " she called.

" Yeah, "

" Come in, "

He opened the door in the suite and paused. " Sakura? "

" It's alright. I'll be out in a minute. Come in, "

He entered and sat on the bed. She peeked around the edge of the shower curtain. He was staring at his feet. He was being a perfect gentleman. " Where's the party? " he asked.

" It's in Ino's room, "

" I could go on ahead of you, " he suggested.

" No. just let me wash off this soap, "

Now what? Sakura thought. There was really no good excuse to invite him in the bathroom.

_Fine. I'll give him a lousy excuse. _

" Sai? "

" Yeah? "

" Could you hand me my towel? "

" Where is it? "

It was right outside the shower curtain. She could see it at the crack of the curtain. " I don't see it. God, there's so much steam in here. Don't you see it? "

" No, " he paused on the bathroom doorway. " I don't see it, Sakura, "

Sakura stuck her head outside the curtain and smiled. He couldn't have been three feet away. He jumped slightly. She pointed on the towel hanging on the hook with her wet, dripping arm. " There it is, " she said sweetly.

Sai handed it to her, saving her a six inch reach. " You want me to come back? " he asked, his eyes down.

" That's alright. I'm almost done, "

" Okay. I'll wait for you, "

He closed the bathroom door and returned to the bedroom. She couldn't believe how proper he was behaving. In all the teen movies she had ever seen, guys were always dying to get peek at cute showers. And she was cute. She had been almost voted homecoming queen, for God's sake.

She quickly dried herself and stepped out of the bathroom. Sai was standing by the window, admiring the fog. He jumped again when he saw her. He turned to sit n the bed. She followed the suit. Sakura crossed her legs seductively. She was still wearing a bathrobe, and my, didn't her wet legs look fine. " I'm glad you're here, " she said.

His gaze strayed at her legs. She was not sure how far up he could see; she didn't care. " You're going to catch a cold, " he said finally.

" I'm not cold, "

" Sakura? What about Ino's party? "

" It'll wait, " she leaned closer. She played with his hair. " I like you, Sai, did I ever tell you that? "

" Yeah. I like you too, Sakura. You're a nice girl, "

" Oh, really? " she gushed, as if he had sworn his undying love for her. " I mean, I wasn't sure if you felt the same way, " Then she paused, continued, " You know what I lked most about the prom? "

" What? "

" When you kissed me afterward, "

He took the hint. He kissed her. She tightened her arm around his neck and pulled him close. Nevertheless, she didn't feel Sai was giving her his best at all. He suddenly pulled back. " It's late, " he said, panting.

Sakura laughed, tugging him toward her. " It's early, "

They started again. Yet, she wished he would touch her breast. His hand kept moving toward it, then pulling away. It was driving her nuts. She finally began to feel as if she were chasing a cherry around an empty bowl with a baseball bat. When she took his right hand and pressed it to her breast, his reaction took her completely by surprise. He leaped off the bed and began to yell.

" What are you trying to do? "

She had never seen him so mad before. " Huh? "

" You were trying to seduce me! "

She sat up, very slowly. " No, I was just, you know, being friendly, " There was something not quite right. He looked positively livid.

" Look at you, Sakura. You're practically naked! What kind of girl are you, anyway? "

It hit her then-the humiliation. Her voice came out, small and shaky. " I'm a nice girl, like you said, "

He balled his fists and faced the wall, breathing heavily. She thought he would never speak again, that he'd leave, but he finally got a hold of himself. " I shouldn't have yelled at you, Sakura, " he whispered, reaching out and putting his hand on the doorknob " I shouldn't have come, "

She trembled.

" This has nothing to do with you, " he said softly.

She nodded. Of course her being unattractive to him had nothing to do with her. He walked towards the bed and reached out to touch the side of her face. Then he stood, getting hold of himself. " I better go, " he said.

" Alright, " Sakura sniffed.

But he didn't leave immediately. He went inside the bathroom and checked his reflection on the mirror. He took the brush off the sink and brushed his hair. She had run her fingers through his hair while they'd been kissing, and she really hadn't messed it up. From his perspective, however, she must have messed him up bad. Her eyes began to burn. He finally set the brush down and stepped towards the bedroom door.

" I won't say anything to anybody about this, " he said gently.

She bit her bottom lip. " Thanks, "

" Bye, "

" Bye, "

He left. She picked up her towel and buried her face in it. She began to cry.

A few moments later, someone knocked at her door.

Ino almost froze to death waiting for Shikamaru to appear. _What's taking him so long? _She had said twenty minutes. At least forty minutes must have gone since she had seen him at the ship. He was always with his friends, and she never had a chance to talk to him a lot. _Well, at least she will have him all by herself tonight, she thought with glee. _

Ten minutes had passed. Maybe he had gone with Sai and went straight to Sakura's suite. _Yeah, the three of them were probably having a great time now_. Disgusted, Ino grabbed her towel and stood at the far end of the shower when someone pounded on the door.

" Who is it? " she called, pulling the shower curtain tight. She'd left the bathroom door open, but she was beginning to wonder if that had been a good idea. He might have brought all his friends here.

" It's me, " he called.

" Are you alone? "

He opened the door. " What? "

" Are you alone? " she yelled. She was afraid to peek around the edge of the curtain.

" Yeah, " She heard the door close. " What are you doing? " he asked.

" I'm taking a shower, what do you think I'm doing? "

" Do you want me to join you? " He sounded as if he could have been standing right at the bathroom door. She couldn't stop shivering.

" No. Close the door, "

" Whatever you want, " he replied as he closed the bathroom door.

_He had to choose this moment to do exactly what I said. _

She turned off the shower and began drying herself furiously, trying to get some warmth back into her flesh. When she came back to the bedroom a few minutes later, he was lying flat on his back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. He had on blue jeans, a black soccer shirt and looked so masculine it made her legs weak. He hardly glanced over.

" Are you ready? " he asked.

" Sure. I'm going to go dressed like this, " she replied sarcastically, sitting on the bed. " How are you doing? " she asked.

He yawned. " Tired. I wish I could just stay here and sleep, "

" You can, "

Shikamaru blinked. " What about you're friend's party? "

" We don't have to go, "

He sat up, suddenly. " No, I'll go. Hurry up and get dressed. "

Ino smiled. " Don't you want to talk for a few minutes? I haven't had a chance to talk to you all night. "

" We can talk at the party, "

" No. I want to talk, "

" About what? "

" How come you didn't answered my letters when you're in vacation in Texas? " she accused.

" I don't have anything to say. Everything that happens each day is just the same, "

Ino pouted, taking the lace in Shikamaru's rubber shoes and began to take it off.

" Don't, " he said, jerking his foot away.

" You're messing up the sheets, " She hadn't meant the remark to sound so harsh. He stood up suddenly.

" Let's go to the party, "

" No, " she replied as she watched Shikamaru leaned at the wall beside the bathroom door. His expression was unreadable, and it depressed her; she'd always believed she could read his mind by simply looking at his face. He had changed when he was away in that stupid vacation in Texas. " What was wrong? " she asked him.

" Nothing, "

" Then why are you acting this way? ''

" I'm not acting in any way. You told me you wanted to go to a private party with you. I'm here to go to the party. Let's go, "

" I can't go to the party, "

" Why not? "

" I'm not dressed, "

" Then get dressed, "

" You don't really want to go to the shower with me, " she accused.

" What? "

" You just said that. You don't really like me, "

" What are you talking about? "

She began to speak, but found the lump in her throat. " Nothing. Forget it, forget the party. I don't want to go, "

" What do you mean you don't want to go? "

" I don't want to go! " she yelled.

" What? "

" And quit asking me what I mean! Isn't it obvious what I mean? "

" No. What do you mean? "

She put her face on her hands. " Get out of here, "

Time went by. It could have been a whole minute. Shikamaru finally sat on the beside her on the bed. " I'm sorry, " he said.

" What are you so sorry about? "

He hesitated. " I'm sorry I don't know, "

Ino burst out laughing, although she hadn't meant the remark to be humorous. She laughed until her sides are ready to burst, until she was ready to cry. Of course, she had felt like crying before she felt like laughing. " Oh, Shikamaru, " she said, trying to catch her breath. " You are a prince, "

He didn't respond. " I know I'm not good enough for you, " he said bitterly.

Ino stopped laughing instantly. " What do you mean? "

He glanced down at his dirty shoes she had criticized. " You're the school president, about to go to Stanford, while I'm only a lazy beer-drinking bum who can't even afford to get a passing grade, "

She stared at him as if she were seeing for the first time. " How come you went in a bar and get drunk after the homecoming dance? " she finally asked, remembering. She had always wanted to know.

" Because you didn't want to kiss me, "

She knew instantly what he's referring to. Before the homecoming queen announcement, they had been dancing together and tried to kiss her. She had stopped him because se felt uncomfortable with any public display of affection. At that time she assumed he understood. He didn't seem upset. " I was joking, " she replied.

" After my race that morning, you said you didn't want me taking you to the dance, "

" I went to the dance with you! "

" We went on separate cars, "

" I had to get there early. I had to-you knew I only was joking! "

He glanced at her. " Were you? "

" Yeah! " Ino yelled indignantly.

At that precise moment he kissed her. She didn't see it coming. She quickly decided those were the best kind of kissed. They fell back on the bed and she felt his hands all over her body. It was incredible. She couldn't even count the number of places he'd touched her. It was probably the most exciting night of her life when he suddenly stopped and sat up.

" I shouldn't be doing this, Ino, " he said.

" What's wrong? " It was her ass, she knew it. She had been having comments about it. He didn't like it, and he hadn't even seen it yet.

" I'm taking advantage of you. You're not even dressed, "\ he shook his head, ashamed. " I can't treat you like you were just any other girl, "

She got up on her elbow. " You've slept with girls before? "

He nodded. " Yeah, but they didn't mean anything to me. "

" Not like I do? "

" Well, yeah, "

She smiled. She pecked him on the cheek. He smiled sheepishly. " Come on, get dressed. Let's go to that party, " he said.

" Oh, I forgot to tell you. It's been cancelled. "

He frowned a little, disappointed. " What are we going to do? Today and tomorrow are my only rest days, after this I'm going to look for a job. I shouldn't waste them sleeping, "

She had this great idea. On the other hand, she didn't to want to be those other girls who meant nothing. She stood, heading to the bathroom and her clothes. " Let's jog around the deck a few times. "

He nodded. Ino sighed. She'd have to do some creative thinking about what it had been like. She couldn't possibly tell Sakura she was still a virgin.

**Author's Note: **So, how about it guys? Does this chapter a bit steamy? Sorry about that, but I promise that the next chap will be entirely SasuSaku moments….. please review! I'd appreciate it to motivate me write sooner! =))


	7. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf7

**The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf**

PerkyGirl23

**CHAPTER VII**

**Author's Note: **Hi guys! Sorry again for the late update! I've been so busy lately.. don't worry, for I promise that this chapter is entirely a SasuSaku part… I need reviews, okay,. So kindly leave after you leave.. =))

I don't own Naruto…

The late night were hard on Sasuke. He felt defeated, lonely. He had spent the whole year chasing an enemy who might be lost to him forever, and running away from a girl who hardly knew he existed. He suddenly felt so weak and wanted to cry, but he got a hold of himself. It was precisely then he decided to tell Sakura that he loved her. He went searching for her. He brought his yearbook with him. She said she wanted to sign it; it would give him an excuse to talk to her. But he could not find her. He couldn't even locate Ino to ask where Sakura could be. He decided to go for Naruto. Naruto supposed to know everything.

_Except who killed Hinata. _

Sasuke found Naruto and Kin entwined in a blissful slumber at the corner of the bar. He shook Naruto gently. Naruto half-opened his eyes and smiled.

" Cabin forty – five, " he said.

" Sakura? " Sasuke asked.

" Forty – five, "

" Thanks, "

Walking down the long hall that led to Sakura's cabin, Sasuke bumped into Sai. Sai smiled broadly.

" I loved that speech you gave, " Sai greeted.

" Thanks, "

Sai laughed. He appeared sort of jittery. " So, where's our scholar off to? Harvard? Yale? Stanford? "

" No place like that. I can't afford it, "

" No kidding, Sasuke? Did you apply for any scholarships? "

" No, "

" Why not? "

" I didn't feel like it, " And he didn't feel like talking to Sai at this very moment either. He had to wonder where Sai had just come from. The neck of his yellow sweater was damp and he had water spots all over his sleeves.

" Does that mean you'll be around for awhile? " Sai asked.

" I guess, "

Sai nodded to his yearbook. " Hey, let me sign that. I can run and get mine if you'd like, it'll only take me a minute, "

" That's okay. I'll sign it later, " Sasuke replied as he let Sai sign his yearbook.

" You sure? "

" Yeah, "

Sai finished his signature on the yearbook. He gave the book and smiled again. " Catch up with you later, then. "

At last, Sasuke found cabin forty – five. He knocked on the door and waited. " Who is it? " said Sakura's feeble voice.

" It's Sasuke, "

There was a momentary pause. " Come on in, "

He opened the door slowly. She was sitting on the bed, wearing a pink bathrobe, her hair wet. She must have taken a shower recently. Her eyes, however, were puffy, as if she had just awakened from sleep.

" I didn't wake you, did I? " he asked.

" No, " she replied as she touched her head as if it hurt. " What are you doing here? "

" I'm sorry. I thought… I'll leave you alone, "

" No, " she said quickly. " Come in, have a seat, "

" I'll come back later, " Sasuke offered, about to close the door.

" No, I'm fine. Have a seat. " she repeated.

There was nowhere to sit except the bed. He did not believe Sakura had anything beneath her robe. As it was, he could see much of her legs than he had ever seen before. In that thought, he felt his loins stir, but quickly shook his head and muttered darkly to himself, exceptionally glad that she didn't notice anything. He did not want to sit on the bed. He just leaned against the wall of the bathroom doorway.

" You said you wanted to sign my yearbook? " he said as he held it up. " I have it here, "

" Oh, " she said as she began to look for her own yearbook. She found it underneath her bed and gave it to him. She sat cross – legged in the center of the bed with her head down, her long hair hiding much of her face. She appeared to be having a hard time thinking about something to say. Sasuke took his pen out of his shirt pocket. For a moment he considered telling her he loved her in her yearbook. Then he quickly discarded the idea. Everybody who signed her yearbook in Konoha would see it.

It was not going well. There was a gloom in the air that matched the gloom in his heart. He was probably the cause of it. He sighed deeply, as his gaze strayed to the bathroom. A wet, white brush sat on the counter beside the sink. There were a few hairs tangled up in its bristles. He leaned closer.

They were short, black hairs.

Sai's sweater had been wet.

Sai had been heading up the hall, away from Sakura's cabin.

Sai had just been here.

They had taken a shower together!

Sasuke closed his eyes and rolled into the wall, feeling sick to his stomach. The image of them naked together under a shower stabbed into his mind like a needle. He had never known such a pain. A hard knot formed in his chest. He couldn't swallow. _His _Sakura on Sai's arms- he simply couldn't bear the thought.

_Not here! Get out! Get away! _

He was going to cry, but he couldn't cry - not in front of her. Yet, he couldn't move. He couldn't get his head off the wall, and the tears were coming no matter how hard he fought to hold them back. He couldn't stop shaking.

_She'll see you! She'll know!_

" Sasuke? " She was standing behind him. She touched his shoulders. " Sasuke, what's wrong? "

He tried to speak, but couldn't. there was a lump in his throat. It was not fair. They were having a shower together in the bathroom having sex when he had been all alone in the other bathroom, bleeding to death!

" Sasuke! " Sakura cried suddenly. " You're bleeding! "

She pulled him off the wall and he fell sitting on the edge of the bed, his arm tightly locked across his eyes, his head down. " I'm alright, " he finally managed to speak as he get his arm down, lowered his head further.

" You've split open your head! We've got to get you a doctor! " she cried.

" No, " he turned toward her, and although he intended it, a cold note entered his voice. " Don't get me anything, "

She swallowed. " I can't let you go like this, "

" I'll be alright, " he replied as he thought why her eyes were moist. He stood. " Goodbye, "

" You forgot your yearbook, "

He came back for it. Her hands trembled as she handed it to him. Then she burst into sobs. " You can't go, " she moaned.

He sat on the bed and put his hands on her back. " It's not that bad, Sakura. It'll stop bleeding. "

She looked at him, tears fresh in her face. " No, it won't stop, "

He was too hurt, too confused. He had no comfort left to give. " I've got to go, " he said as he picked up his yearbook. " I've got to get out of here, "

He half – expected her to grab his hand to stop him, to cry some more. Yet, suddenly, she stopped fussing and stared at him. " You can go, but you have to read it first, " He opened the yearbook. Few people signed it so far. Then he spotted Sakura's neat, tiny handwriting tucked on the corner of the page. It was not a long note.

_I love you, Sasuke. _

_Sakura_

" I've loved you for a long time, " Sakura said as a tear formed in the corner of her left eye. " I just wanted you to know, "

" Why didn't you tell me this before? " Sasuke asked.

" I was afraid, "

" Of what? "

" Hinata didn't want me to meet you. She didn't think I was good enough for you, "

" That's not true, " he replied, returning to the bed beside her. She was crying softly. He put his arms around her. " The first day I met you, Hinata came to visit me in our classroom. She had to leave campus because she needs to go somewhere, but she told me about this wonderful girl she wanted to introduce me at the football game. She didn't tell me her name, but at that game when I spoke to you, I realized you were the girl, "

Sakura raised her head and sniffled. " It was you? "

He smiled. " It was me, "

He brushed aside her hair and kissed her forehead. " When I met at our locker that first day, I thought you were the beautiful girl I have ever seen. I thought about you all that day. Finally, I got up the courage to ask you out. Remember? I was going to ask you then. "

" How come you didn't? "

" You asked me first, "

Sakura put her hand on her mouth. " No, this can't be. All this time - but you didn't asked me out later! I was the one who kept trying to set up a date, " she stopped. " Was there another reason? "

He hesitated. " There was Sai, "

" Yes, I'm a bitch, " she sighed.

" No, "

" Yes, " she insisted. " Did you know Sai was just here? "

Sasuke honestly didn't want to talk about it now, not right after Sakura told him she loved him. " It's none of my business, "

She spoke seriously. " But you should know about me. Naruto's going to tell you anyway. I set up this whole scam to lure Sai here. I was in the bathroom. I was going to seduce him. I even stopped at the drugstore to buy contraceptives on the way to the harbour. Does this sound like the sweet, innocent Sakura you think is cute? ":

" Well, " He was beginning to feel a little bit sick again. Sakura saw this and hugged him.

" I did that because I couldn't have you. I don't love Sai, "

" He's a nice guy, "

" He's not so nice. He told me I was just like the other girls, loose. He couldn't get out here fast enough, "

" Really? "

She chuckled. " It happened just before you got here. He started screaming at me! It was so weird. I'm not that repulsive, am I? "

" Oh, no, " A faint idea touched the edge of Sasuke's mind, an idea so ridiculous and mean – spirited that he would have immediately dismissed it had it not been followed by the remark Naruto made in the galley. " ' Nothing. Absolutely nothing, ' ", that was Naruto's reply, Sasuke thought.

" What? " Sakura asked.

" Something Naruto said about Sai, "

" Something Naruto said? " It was Sakura's turn to pause. " ' But if I were you, I'd keep Ino's receipt, ' "

" Did Naruto say that, too? "

" Yes, "

" When? "

She blushed. " In the drugstore, "

They began to laugh. They laughed so hard it hurt. Sakura was beet red.

" Oh, God, " she cried. " I've been trying to seduce a gay! "

" We don't know for sure he's gay, " Sasuke protested, trying unsuccessfully to stop laughing.

" Yes, we do! It all makes sense now, the whole year. Oh, I am sooo dumb! "

" We shouldn't be laughing. There's nothing wrong with being a gay. "

\ Sakura stopped suddenly, sitting up. " You're right, "

" He really is friendly, " Sasuke said.

" He is, yeah. " Then she went to another fit. " He's always liked you! "

Sakura couldn't stop laughing, so Sasuke joined her, although feeling guilty. He was delighted that Sai's choice of lifestyle didn't damage his chances in getting Sakura. Her shower scheme might have ended a lot differently if Sai hadn't been gay.

Somewhere in the midst of their laughter, they began to kiss. Sakura started it, for Sasuke had never kissed a girl before and would not have known where to begin. He was pleasantly surprised to discover it was easy to do. They lay back on the bed, their arms wrapped around each other. Her mouth was a wonder, so soft and warm, tasting like - well, she tasted like toothpaste, which was fine with him. From now on, he knew, whenever he brushed his teeth, he would remember this moment. It was too much for him. He pulled back slightly.

" What's the matter? "

He twisted his head around. " I think maybe I'm bleeding on your sheets, "

Sakura sat up. She touched the side of his head gently and grimaced. " Does it hurt? "

" No, "

" Liar. We should clean it al least. "

" I can't run water on the cut. It will only bleed worse, "

" I could wash it in the bathroom. Take off your clothes, " she ordered.

Sasuke laughed. " What? "

" I can't wash your hair in the sink. Your taking a shower, "

" I don't know, "

She leaned over and kissed him briefly on the lips. " Don't be shy, I'll join you, " she added hastily, " We don't have to do anything. I know you're not feeling well, "

" I don't know, " he repeated. Sakura shoved him on the chest and giggled mischievously.

" Come on, Uchiha Sasuke, make my night, "

Sasuke had a sudden horrible thought of being eighty years old and looking back on this night with a feeling of profound regret. He took her hand. " I'm not feeling that bad, " he said.

It turned out to be the best damn shower he'd ever had.

**Author's Note: **so, guys, what do you think? That was a bit fast huh? Hope your all satisfied now, for Sai's a gay and Sasuke have Sakura now! Review please, as well as the other and next chapters… it's soon to end..I'm sad,. Well anyway, hope you enjoyed it! =))


	8. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf8

**The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf**

**PerkyGirl23**

**Author's Note: **Hey guys! Sorry for the very late update.. been busy lately.. anyway here's my eight chapter and I'm planning to end it as soon as possible for I'm working on my third fanfic. However, I'm still debating myself whether it's still going to be a SasuSaku fic or an ItaSaku fic.

I don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER VIII**

Later, when they were already dry and dressed, Sasuke asked Sakura if she knew TeMari's whereabouts.

" She's probably in her own room. Why? " Sakura replied, sitting on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair, with a slight smile on her lips.

" She has a room, too? What number is it? "

" Twenty – eight, I believe. Why? "

" Stay here. I'll be back in a minute. "

When Sasuke knocked on cabin 28, no one answered. He tried the door without calling TeMari's name. it was unlocked. The room was larger than Sakura's, far more plush. TeMari had left all the lights on. An unopened grey overnight bag sat on the end of the undisturbed bed. No one had been sleeping in this room.

He checked the bathroom. The tub was full. A double – edged razor blade lay on the corner soap tray beside the several drops of bright red blood. Sasuke took a step forward, the joy of his time with Sakura fading rapidly. Sitting at the bottom of the warm tub - the hot water had been left trickling. - was a hair dryer. Its plug rested less than two inches from a nearby socket.

" _The man with the electricity. "_

Had she accidentally left the dryer into the water while blow – drying her hair during a bath, she would have received a terrible electric shock. Yet, what did any of them mean next to the bloody razor? That nothing had been an accident?

" _I have to warm my blood, _"

She had given Shino the form.

Sasuke reached down and touched the red drops beside the blade, rubbing them between the tips of his fingers. A strange sensation swept him, similar to _déjà vu _but far more disturbing. It was a feeling of stumbling across the obvious, but at the same time, more confusing. The realization that hit him on the deck at the end of his conversation with TeMari returned, and this time, it remained.

He finally understood what TeMari was trying to tell him.

Shikamaru had followed Ino's advice and was jogging laps around the deck in order to stay awake. Not being much of an athlete, Ino had decided to wait in the hall near Sakura's room. When Sasuke exited in a rush, Ino immediately ran to Sakura's door. She didn't knock; she just barged in.

" I know you'd show up soon, " Sakura said, brushing her hair in the mirror on top of the cabin's built – in chest of drawers. Ino couldn't help noticing Sakura's instant _glow_. She immediately felt insanely jealous.

" So, how did it go? " Ino asked casually.

" Wonderful, " Sakura beamed. " How about you? "

" It was great, "

" Did you and Shikamaru do it? "

" Of course. How about you and Sai? "

" Three times, " Sakura replied.

Ino leaned against the wall. " How come I just saw Sasuke leaving? "

" He wanted to talk to TeMari, "

" Yeah, but why was he here? I mean, what happened to Sai? "

" Nothing. Sai left, and then Sasuke stopped by. "

Ino thought a moment. " He just stopped by to talk? "

Sakura grinned slyly. " We didn't talk that much, "

Ino was shocked. " You didn't screw both of them? "

" What's wrong with that? "

" That's disgusting! "

" No, it was fun. I had great time. Especially with Sasuke. Sai just got me kind of warmed up, "

Ino almost choked with envy. Then she noticed the blood on the sheets. " Was it painful? "

Sakura shrugged nonchalantly. " It's sort of like having an itch. It bothers you at first, but then, when you scrath it, it feels great. " She set down her brush. " Well, of course, you know what I mean, "

" Oh, yeah. Sure yeah, "

Sakura laughed. " I'm only kidding! I didn't have sex with Sai! "

" What happened to him? "

" Nothing. Absolutely nothing. "

Ino felt a small measure of relief. She hated to think she was missing out entirely. " How about Sasuke? "

" Awesome. "

" If you're lying to me - how many times? "

" Simply awesome, "

" How many times? "

Sakura began to count her fingers, then threw up her hands. " I ran out of all the stuff we bought. "

Ino let her head drop against the wall. " And I thought I was amazing, "

Sasuke reappeared a minute later. He looked a little pale. " Hi, Ino. "

" Hello, " Ino greeted.

" Could you two do me a favour? Could you help me find TeMari? "

Sakura sat up. " Why? Is something wrong? "

" No, I don't think so, " he replied, his voice odd. " But I want to find her. She's on board. "

" Of course she's on board, " Sakura said, concerned, watching him closely.

" Yeah, " he muttered, thoughtful.

" What do you want from TeMari? " Ino asked.

Sasuke shook himself. His eyes cleared. " I want to have a meeting with everyone who was at the party when Hinata died, "

" Sasuke, " Sakura said, with an anguish in her voice. " Don't, "

" TenTen wants to have the same meeting, " Ino said, confused. " I just ran back to Neji a few seconds ago. She's sent him around to gather everybody together. She wants to have it down the galley in half an hour, "

" TenTen, " Sasuke chewed on that a moment. " Interesting, "

" Why are you doing this? " Sakura asked, upset, striding toward Sasuke. A look of sympathy touched his features, and he took her hand.

" It's alright. I understand everything a lot better now. It all makes sense to me, almost. " he hugged her. " She didn't kill herself, Sakura. "

Sakura stared at him in disbelief. " You don't know that, "

Sasuke touches the side of his head. " You asked what happened - Shino did this to me, "

" Shino? " Ino muttered, more confused.

" Hinata's boyfriend? " Sakura frowned. " Is he on board? "

But Sasuke would not say.

In the dark and the relatively deserted galley of _Haven_, Sabako TeMari, the last remaining survivor of the unlucky family, stood behind Aburame Shino and watched as he attached a potent charge of plastic explosive to the side of the ship's huge black fuel tank. He glanced up at her as he turned the setting on the timer, his lips pulled back from his huge teeth in an ecstatic manner.

" I'll set for an hour, " he said, " It will be almost dawn then, "

" If the tank goes, hardly anyone will survive, " TeMari said.

" It can't be helped, "

TeMari was cold, even though she had on her biggest and warmest jacket. It was water-proof, but she didn't know how well it would hold up in a fire. " When I was coming down here for you, " she said, " I saw TenTen. She told me everyone who was at the party will be meeting here soon. "

" So? " Shino said.

She knelt beside him and put her right hand over his hands. A drop of blood from the slash on her wrist fell onto his clammy skin. " They are the only ones who matter. Let the rest go, "

He chuckled. He was in a great mood. " The boat's going down, babe. Ain't nothing going to change that. "

" It could go down slowly, "

He looked at her, holding her eyes she had never realized how similar their eyes were - both hazel brown. " None of them would shed a tear for you, " he said. " Not a one, "

" Give them a chance. Please? "

He noticed her blood on the back of his palm, and his mouth twisted into a ravenous grin. He licked the drop away with his long tongue and leaned close, whispering a single word in her ear. " Madness, "

" It's you who's mad, " she replied angrily.

He chuckled and let it pass. " All right, babe. For you, I'll let the sleeping innocent try to swim back to the shore. As long as you swear to keep our party people down here for the _show,_ "

" How can I keep them here if they want to leave? "

He showed her a few minutes later, after he had detached the bomb and dragged her into a room down the hall from the fuel tank. There was a tall metal cabinet pressed against the hull; he opened it, squeezing the plastic explosives into the bottom corner. His answer to her question about how to keep the others from leaving was already in the cabinet. Inside was also a shotgun, covered with dirt. It looked familiar. He loaded it with fresh fat shells, and then set the weapon on the topmost shelf, almost beyond her reach.

" It belonged to your father, " he said. " Before he died, "

" I know, "

He looked at her, then climbed into the closet, turned, and spread his arms. " Love me, babe, before they get here. It'll feel good, like old times, "

" If you stay in there, you'll die, " she said. Yet, she followed him, into his arms, into the darkness. He was a liar. There were no old times. The door closed at their backs. She could feel his breath in her ear, like the whispering breeze in dreams she had long ago forgotten. But she could not feel his arms, only the cold steel of the closet, surrounding her on all sides, like a metal coffin.

" We'll die together, " he promised.

Kiba strode the _Haven's _deck alone, wearing the thick fog as if it were a cloak given to him personally by the night. He felt as if he had the ship all by himself, and the thought made him giggle. It was true what they say about the taste of revenge being sweet. Kiba knew Neji and TenTen's desire to have a meeting below deck for all those who had been at Hinata's party. Both of them had told him to be sure to come. They hadn't asked him if he wanted to come; they had simply given him an order. It was just like those jerks. Well, he had no intention on attending - at least, not until his plan was fully hatched.

Kiba whirled and headed for the stern. He needed his bag, his equipment. It was almost time to set up the trap. He'd hidden his materials as well. He knew they'd be waiting for him, safe and ready. Nobody cared about him. Nobody ever had and nobody ever would. After tonight though, they would remember him, if they remember anything at all. Almost the entire senior class are on the ship when it left the dock. But if he had his way - and he would, he swore it - not a single one of them would be on board when it reached its destination. That ship would be a ghost ship.

**Author's Note: **So, how about it? As the story comes to a close, the truth finally hatches. Keep tuned and leave reviews! ^.^


	9. The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf9

**The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf**

**PerkyGirl23**

**Author's Note: **Hello! I'm back again guys. This is already the ninth chapter, and actually, I'm now in a hurry to finish this fic. It's because I'm currently working on a new one, entitled

" Complications ". it's an another Naruto fic, as usual, however, I can't seem to decide whether it would be Sasuke or Itachi whom Sakura will appear with. Anyway, keep the reviews coming and hope you'll like this chapter…

I don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER IX**

_Haven's _lower deck was as bad as a submarine as far as Sakura was concerned. It was not only cramped, it had an overall battleship look. Sasuke closed the door a second ago and locked them in. Sakura could feel the tightness in her lungs and had to consciously remind herself to relax.

_Why am I afraid? I am surrounded by my friends. _

With the exception of Kiba, everyone who had been at the party when Hinata died was present. TenTen on her wheelchair sat near the door. Neji stood behind her. To their left was Ino and Shikamaru, sitting on what appeared to be a huge toolbox. Kin and Naruto stood opposite the door, leaning against the steel hull and looking sleepy. Sai was in the corner with Li, and he wasn't giving Sakura a lot of eye contact, which was fine with her. Sakura didn't know how Sasuke persuaded Sai to come.

TeMari was by herself; she was the only one sitting on the floor, a few feet to the right of the tall metal cabinet. Her bulky navy-blue ski jacket dwarfed her undernourished figure. As Sakura watched her, she noticed TeMari's gaze drifting between Sasuke, a red light above the door, and the cabinet to her left. Just these three places, nowhere else.

" Aren't we going to wait for Kiba? " TenTen asked Sasuke.

" He won't come, " Naruto replied.

' " I could go look for him again, " Sasuke said to TenTen, apparently not bothered by Kiba's absence.

" I'd like everyone to be here, " she said.

" He won't come, " Naruto repeated.

" How do you know? " Sasuke asked, the white gauze strip Sakura had obtained from the captain wrapped in a single strip around the top of his head. But Naruto simply waved his hand, as he often did when asked a question that wasn't in his self – interest to answer. Although he was being sensitive to TenTen's desires, Sasuke obviously wanted to get on with things. " It's up to you, " he said to TenTen.

" Maybe he'll show up, " she glanced up at Neji.

" I told him twice about the meeting, " Neji replied.

Sasuke turned and paced in the center of the room, collecting his thoughts. The room fell silent. Watching him from her position behind the door, Sakura felt both love and fear. She was still thinking about their time together in cabin 45. Of all the strange and wonderful things in the universe that could be true - he liked her! In the shower she had been amazed at how excited she had been, and at the same time, how comfortable; it was as if they had known each other intimately for ages. Yet there was still much about him that she didn't understand.

_Why didn't he told me he loved me? _

It didn't matter, he'd told her enough to let her know she was important to him, even if perhaps he meant more to her than she meant to him. You couldn't have everything. Yet that was Sasuke's problem. He wanted the impossible. He wanted to change the past.

" I had a reason for calling this meeting, " Sasuke said. " But before I begin, I'd like to know your reason, TenTen? "

" You go first, " she said.

" I would appreciate it if you could give me some idea? "

" So would I, " Neji said. But TenTen could not be hurried. " Later, " she replied.

" All right, " Sasuke said, pausing and scanning the room. " My purpose in gathering you here is to prove that Hinata did not commit suicide. I know most of you have heard me say that before, but this morning I hope - with your help - to put together a number of clues I have gathered to show that suicide had nothing to do with it. I'll start by explaining a couple of alternative theories I gave in the police a few days after the party. I won't spend a lot of time about them, though, because I now realize they are flawed, "

He returned to pacing, and Sakura noticed he was leaning slightly to the right. She continued to worry about his head wound, and how exactly he had received it.

" Let's get back to the scenario before the gun went off. There were three of us in the living room: TenTen, Neji, and myself. Then, Sakura and Ino entered. Ino, what was the first you did? " Sasuke asked.

Ino thought a moment. " I don't remember, "

" You complained about how loud the music was, " Sakura said. " Then you turned it down, "

" That's right, " Ino replied.

" The music was loud, " Sasuke said. " I find that interesting, for the party was already over. Anyway, Ino lowered the volume on the stereo, Sakura and Ino sat down, and the five of us talked a bit. Then TeMari came in. "

" I remember, " TeMari answered softly, her eyes big on Sasuke. He crossed across the room and stood above her.

" You turned the stereo off, " Sasuke said. " You said your head hurt. Then you went outside to check on the chlorine in the pool. Isn't that right TeMari? "

" Yes, "

Sasuke resumed striding back and forth. " Let's pick up Neji's story. He asked where a bathroom was. Sakura told Neji to try the bathroom upstairs. Tell us, Neji, about that little walk you took, step by step. "

Neji cleared his throat. " I went to the stairs. I saw Sai in the kitchen. He was bent over the sink. He looked sick or upset. He didn't look good. "

" What was wrong, Sai? " Ino asked.

" I was - I'd had too much drink, " Sai replied uneasily.

" You hadn't drunk that much. What was wrong with you, buddy? " Li asked.

" Nothing, " Sai mumbled.

" This isn't important, " Sasuke interrupted.

" How do you know it isn't? " Ino pushed.

" It's not, " Kin said.

" But I want to know, " Ino whined.

" Ino, " Sakura said, not exactly sure how Sai's homosexuality mattered this time. " Shut up, "

" Go on, Neji, " Sasuke said.

" I went upstairs, " Neji continued. " On the first part of the hall there were four doors. The first two doors were locked. The second door, however it was locked, I thought I heard water running inside, "

" I was peeing inside, " Li replied sheepishly.

" I tried the door on the right. It led onto a porch that overlooked the backyard. Kiba was out there. "

" Did he see you? " Sasuke asked.

" I don't think so. I didn't say anything to him. " Neji answered. " Then I tried the last door on the left. It was locked, too. But I thought I heard someone inside. "

" Was I in there? " Shikamaru asked.

" Were you? " Neji asked.

" He doesn't have to answer that, " Ino said. " Not when our quarterback won't tell us why he's crying in the kitchen sink, "

Shikamaru rubbed his chin, thinking. " I crashed somewhere upstairs, "

" You were in that room, " Sasuke replied confidently. " Please continue, Neji, "

Neji sighed, breathing heavily. " The hallway turns. There were another two rooms. I tried the first door. It was locked. I heard someone groaning. "

" That was Kin and me, " Naruto said without hesitating. " She was acting out a role in a play for me, "

" You're not an actress, " Ino said suspiciously.

" So what? " Kin snapped.

" This isn't important either, " Sasuke cut off. " All that matters was that Kin and Naruto were together in that bedroom and that they were so occupied that they couldn't hear what was going on in the next room, "

" Why couldn't they hear? " Ino wanted to know. This time, everybody simply ignored her.

Neji went on. " I tried the last room. It was dark inside. I tried the last switch, but the light won't go on. "

" What was wrong with the light, TeMari? " Sasuke asked.

" It was broken, " TeMari replied.

" Had it been broken long? "

" I broke it when I tried to fix it, "

Sasuke turned back to Neji. " Go on, and give us as much as detail as you can, "

" I stepped into the room, " Neji said. " I was only in that room for a minute because it was very _cold_. After going into the bathroom, I went out in the hall. I got all the way back to the top of the stairs. Then the gun went off. I froze for a second and then ran down the stairs. "

" He _instinctively _ran down the stairs, " Sasuke interrupted. " This is very important. He wasn't the only one who ran down the stairs. Kiba did the same. Go on, Neji, "

" I bumped into TenTen on the stairs. I had to help her up. Then we went back up the stairs. That's it. "

" Not quite, " Sasuke said. " When the four of us - Sakura, Ino, TeMari and me - we went straight to the last bedroom. But you also went straight to that room. Why? "

Neji was perplexed. " I don't know, "

" Do you know, Sasuke? " Naruto asked.

" You'd better, " Kin said nervously. " The suspense is killing me, "

Sasuke stopped pacing and looked at them. " I do know. The shot we heard that night did not came from the bedroom. It did not kill Hinata. It came from outside. "

No one spoke for a long time. Everyone in the room appeared to believe Sasuke. He sounded so sure of himself.

Suddenly, Naruto broke the silence. " Explain, " he said.

Sasuke looked straight at Naruto. " Neji and Kiba were upstairs. They were the only ones who were familiar with guns, because to those who didn't know, they were once members of a gang. And when the gun went off, they instinctively thought that the shot came in beneath them. Think about why the group of us downstairs think the shot came from upstairs. It is because the sliding glass back door downstairs was shut. In fact, all the doors and windows below were closed. Only the windows on the upstairs room were open, and that's why Neji felt so cold in that room. It was no wonder why the group of people downstairs thought the shot came from upstairs. "

" Interesting, " Naruto said.

" There's more, " Sasuke said, pulling a folded square of white paper from his jacket. " Hinata was supposedly killed by a small gun. Not that I am a gun expert, but it is such a small gun. The shot we heard was extremely loud, "

" Fire any gun in a quiet house and it will sound loud, " Neji said.

" Yes, that's what the police told me, " Sasuke replied, stepping toward Neji, unfolding his paper. " Look at this, "

" Shotgun bullets, " Neji whispered.

" Fascinating, " Naruto said.

" I removed them from a torn wooden shingle when I inspected their house further. "

" But she had a gun in her mouth, " Sakura said, her voice shaky. Suddenly, she wished he would stop. Hinata was dead. Nothing was going to bring her back. The feeling belonged to a coward, and that was exactly how she felt - as if she wanted to run away and bury her head in the sand. " We all saw it, " she insisted.

The reminder of how they had found Hinata appeared to dampen Sasuke's enthusiasm. He leaned against the tall metal cabinet off to TeMari's left, and Sakura could not remember when he had ever looked so frail. She wished to God they had a doctor aboard who could examine his wound. He was white as a sheet.

" That's true, " he said. " But the question is, _how _did the gun get in her mouth? Let's look into Neji's account just before we heard the shot. He went into the bedroom. It was dark. It was quiet. He couldn't see or hear anything. Yet he was scared. Now why he was scared? He's no chicken. It wasn't the dark that was bothering him. It was something else. There was something in that room that made him think there was unusually not right. What was it? "

" I smelled something, " Neji whispered.

" Exactly, " Sasuke said. " _He smelled blood_, "

" And that was why he ran to the last bedroom instead of checking the others, " Shikamaru added, nodding to himself, enjoying the intellectual puzzle.

" Does everybody understand? " Sasuke asked.

" No, " the others said.

" It is clear, " Sasuke said. " _Hinata was lying dead in the room before Neji even got to it, _"

More silence followed, longer and deeper than the previous one. And again it seemed that everyone believed Sasuke. He glanced down at TeMari, and she stared back at him, or so Sakura thought at first. But Temari's eyes were focused slightly to the side, behind Sasuke, on the cabinet. Her red lips trembled. TeMari was suddenly the center of attention.

" You fired the shotgun, " Sasuke said.

" Yes, " TeMari answered softly.

" Then you threw the shotgun in your garden and ran into the house, "

" Yes, "

" Why? "

" Shino told me to, "

Sakura jumped from her position in the corner. " Did he shoot Hinata? "

TeMari nodded.

" Oh, God, " Tenten said.

" No, " Sasuke interrupted.

" But, Sasuke, maybe she saw him do it, " Naruto said.

" No, " Sasuke repeated, still watching TeMari. Now she was looking at him, and she may have been looking to him for help.

" I didn't, " she whispered.

" How did Shino get the gun in Hinata's mouth? " Sasuke asked. Temari shook her head. He came and knelt beside her. His tone hardened. " Where did he go after he pulled the trigger? "

" I don't know, "

" How did he get her fingers on the trigger of the gun? "

" I don't remember, " she replied, begging to be believed.

" Where did he go after he did all these things? " Sasuke demanded, grabbing her arm. " How come _none _of us saw him? "

" Sasuke! " Sakura cried. " She didn't shoot Hinata! "

TeMari closed her eyes. She was not crying, but Sakura could hear her breathing, shallow and rapid. It was the damn room. No one could breathe in here. It was almost as if they were back in the bedroom with the body. Sasuke let go of TeMari's arm and sat back. His next words went off like a silent bomb.

" Hinata was dead before anyone shot her, " he said.

TeMari pressed her wrist in her mouth. Sakura could have sworn she was sucking on it, like a child in desperate need of a bottle.

" Did she have a heart attack or something? " Neji asked.

" No, " Sasuke replied.

" A stroke? " Ino suggested.

" I read the coroner's report, " Sasuke said, his eyes never leaving TeMari's. " I talked to the coroner. That night someone broke Hinata's nose. They broke it bad. She had brain damage the bullet didn't cause. "

" You'd have to hit someone just right to kill them that way, " Shikamaru said doubtfully.

" How about it, TeMari? " Sasuke asked. " Did Shino do it? " When she didn't responded, he reached over and grabbed her hand away from her mouth, yanking up on the sleeve of her jacket. TeMari's wrist were all red. She had been sucking on her blood. Sakura felt dizzy.

" Did Shino do this? " Sasuke yelled.

She nodded wearily. " He does whatever he wants, "

Sasuke threw her arm down. " Liar, "

" He's not here, isn't he? " Kin asked anxiously.

" He is, " TeMari replied.

" Really? " Sasuke asked. " Let me see him, "

" Let me see if I can find him, " TeMari said, trying to get up. TeMari stood and walked toward the metal cabinet Sasuke had been leaning against. She started to turn the handle on the cabinet.

" What is that? " TenTen suddenly cried.

" What? " Sasuke asked, jumping to his feet.

" People are shouting, " Neji said, frowning. " Something's happening. "

Sasuke strode toward the door. He was halfway there when the red light above the door suddenly began to blink off and on and a screaming alarm pierced the air.

" The ship's sinking! " Ino screamed in terror.

**Author's note: **oh my! What's happening? Will the ship really sink? What about the case? Is Shino really in the ship like what TeMari says? What will happen now to all of them? Stay tuned for the next chapters to see what will happen in the end… keep your fingers crossed! And leave reviews please!


	10. Chapter 10

**The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf**

PerkyGirl23

**Author's note: **hey guys! I'm back. The story keeps on getting into a suspense, rather than on a romantic one, sorry for that. Just keep you fingers crossed and hope you'll like this chap!

I don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER X**

With the exception of TenTen, Temari and Naruto, they all converged on the door. Neji took hold of the wheel and turned it counterclockwise. It didn't open. He spun it the other way.

" It's stuck, " he said, pounding the metal with his fist.

" Oh, God, " Ino said.

" Let me try it, " Shikamaru said, shoving Neji aside.

" No, I'll do it, " Sasuke said, pressing Shikamaru out of his way. He pulled up on a metal lever beneath the wheel and spun the wheel counterclockwise again. The siren continued to wail. The door cracked open. In a tangled knot, the group pressed forward.

" Stop, " someone ordered at their backs.

Sakura turned to see who it was. She didn't recognize the voice. She didn't know why; it was only TeMari, closing the door on the cabinet with her right hand, holding a shotgun in her left. She had her finger on the trigger. They were her target.

" Temari! " Sakura cried. " Put that down, "

Naruto, standing quietly off to Temari's right, made a sudden lunge for the shotgun, he didn't make it. Even though she was bleeding from her wrist under her jacket, she was still mighty quick. TeMari's face was dark, she herded everyone into the corner the corner of the room opposite the door with a few silent gestures of her gun. Then she reclosed the door with her shoulder and locked it. Trapped in her wheelchair a few feet away, TenTen watched calmly, unmoving. TeMari slumped against the door, clasping the shotgun with both hands as if it might suddenly vanish into thin air.

" We have to stay, " she said finally, her voice barely audible over the panicked shouts from the decks above, Sakura could hear people running, screaming. She would scream next. She smelled smoke. Sasuke took a step forward.

" Why? " he asked.

" Shino, " TeMari replied. " He'll kill them if you don't stay, "

" But we have to get out of here! " Kin pleaded. " The ship's on fire! "

" No, " Naruto said, reaching a hand out to comfort Kin. Then he hesitated, glancing at TeMari. He let his arm drop to his side. He had not finished what he was going to say.

" What is it? " Sasuke asked Naruto.

" Nothing, " Naruto answered.

Sasuke turned his attention back to TeMari, took another step forward. " Where's Shino? "

" Near, " she said.

Another step. He was practically daring her to shoot. " Tell him I want to talk to him, "

" He won't talk, " TeMari whispered, perspiration pouring over her face. " Stay, "

Sasuke circled to the left, drawing the gun away from the others. Sakura could not bear to watch.

_He'll sacrifice himself to get us out of here._

Sakura stepped out from the group. Li tried to grab her hand, but she shook him off. Sasuke didn't notice; he was too preoccupied.

" I don't really want to talk to him anyway, " Sasuke continued. " It's you I want to talk to. Do you want to talk, TeMari? "

" About what? " she asked. Her wrist appeared to be hurting her. The red light continued to flash over her head and the smell of smoke kept getting stronger. Sakura decided to circle to the right, toward Tenten's side of the room.

" Hinata, " Sasuke replied, taking another step toward her.

" No, " TeMari pleaded. " Stop there. He pushed.… he told me - I have to shoot you! "

" I don't think so, " Sasuke said, ignoring her order to halt.

" But you don't understand, " she cried. " You must stay here! "

" All right, TeMari, " Sasuke said, stopping less than a yard from the tip of the shotgun. " Whatever you want. "

What followed next happened quickly. Sakura had closed to within approximately six feet of TeMari's left side. When Sasuke paused and began to reassure TeMari everything was all right, Sakura took that as a signal that he was about to try for the gun. Sakura didn't believe he would survive such an attempt. She decided to make a dive for the gun. She had barely begun to move when TeMari swung the gun toward her face. Sakura froze. Then Sasuke made a try for the gun. His heroic attempt was also stopped short. TeMari was simply too quick for the two of them. She snapped the gun again on Sasuke, then onto Sakura, back and forth, holding them both at bay.

Then something incredible, or maybe, a miracle happened.

Sakura did not see TenTen stand from her wheelchair. TenTen was just there, up on her two feet, at TeMari's side forcing the gun down. Unfortunately, TeMari threw her off easily. TenTen hit the side of her wheelchair, letting out a cry and falling onto her side.

But by then Sasuke had reached TeMari.

He probably could have gotten the gun from TeMari quicker if he hadn't been so overly concerned with where it was pointed while he wrestled with her. Whether Temari did so intentionally or accidentally, the trigger was pulled. The shot hit the side of the tall cabinet, ripping through the metal. Sakura thought she screamed. Maybe the whole room did. Except for Sasuke. He was in control. He had the gun in one hand, TeMari's bloody wrist on the other. Sakura noticed for the first time that the shotgun was caked with dried mud.

" Now you stop, " he said.

" I can't, " TeMari moaned, nevertheless collapsing into him as if he had just come to her rescue. Sasuke tossed the gun to Naruto and wrapped his arm around TeMari.

" Let's get out of here, " he called.

" You can walk! " Neji exclaimed, helping TenTen up.

" Sasuke, there's something I've got to tell you, " Naruto said.

" Later, " Sasuke called, spinning the wheel on the door.

" I _can _walk, " TenTen answered calmly as Neji hoisted her into his arms.

" Did that goddamn Shino light the goddamn ship on fire or what? " Ino yelled as once again they pressed toward the door.

" NO! " Naruto shouted.

Everybody stopped. Naruto never shouted. " What is it? " Sasuke demanded.

Before Naruto could respond, the heavy metal door swung open. It was Kiba, grinning the full length of his lips. He stepped into the room as if he were the captain of the ship.

" Are the kids all right? " he asked, pulling the door closed at his back.

Sasuke leaped to quick conclusion. " You bastard, " he swore, throwing TeMari to Sakura and drawing back his fist. " What have you started? "

" Hey, Sasuke, it was only a prank, " Naruto said, jumping in front of Kiba. " Kiba just let off a few smoke bombs to scare everybody into the lifeboats. There's no fire. The ship isn't sinking. There's nothing to get shook about. "

" We have to stay, " TeMari moaned softly in Sakura's arms.

" Why? " she asked, repeating Sasuke's question. TeMari's head sagged back on Sakura's shoulder. She looked up at Sakura with eyes both sad and angry.

" Go look, Sakura, " TeMari answered. " You'll see, it's dark in there, like the tunnel we got lost in when we were kids. "

The shotgun was in safe hands. The fire apparently didn't exist. Yet the fears of the whole night suddenly succumbed above Sakura. TeMari's gaze had been moving into the cabinet since they had come down to this wretched room. Had TeMari been pointing to something worse than a hidden weapon?

Sakura pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and handed TeMari over to Shikamaru, telling him to bind her wrist. Ino quickly moved to help. Everybody seemed to be talking at once. The alarm continued to blare. Sakura hardly noticed. The tall, grey cabinet, its side ripped and twisted from the blast of the shotgun, held her attention. She stepped toward it.

The world exploded in her face.

**Auhor's Note: **sorry it was a bit short. I promise the next chapter will be a lot longer… so long!


	11. Chapter 11

**The Cherry Blossom and the Black Wolf**

PerkyGirl23

**Author's note: **This is the eleventh chapter… hope you'll like this one.

I don't own Naruto…

**CHAPTER XI**

Orange fire. Black water. And a terrible pain. It was too much to bear. Since she was closest to the cabinet, the shock wave hit Sakura the hardest. Her eyes had no chance to absorb the blinding flash when she was literally swept off her feet and thrown backward. Then she hit the far wall, and the agony almost consumed her. It pulsed throughout her body, shrieked inside her right arm. A long thick pipe had whipped loose from the ceiling and pinned her to the wall.

Flames danced in fury and tried to claim the ceiling. But the blaze could not go down. The ocean was pouring in. Sakura tried to draw in a breath and gagged on fumes. Dark, numbing water swam around her ankles and up to her calves. Cries wailed in her ears. Everyone was trying to open the door again, and this time they were in a hell of a hurry. Sakura could hardly see. There was a lot of smoke and the blast had knocked out the overhead lights. Yet the red light above remained functional, throbbing like a maddened heartbeat in the darkness. The fire was going out already. The water was rising. A shadow stumbled against her, grabbing onto the wall for support.

" We have to get out of here, " Sasuke said, taking her left hand and giving it a tug. Sakura screamed.

" I'm stuck, " she gasped. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the group manage to force the door open against the pressure of the rising water. Sasuke pulled himself past her and tugged on the pipe pinning her right arm to the wall. It didn't budge at all, and yet the effort somehow shot the pain in her arm. It was unbearably, and she gritted her teeth in refusing to black out. She was enough of a burden for Sasuke. And she's not going to allow to be more of a burden for him. Sasuke called to the others.

" Sakura's stuck. I need help. "

Several had already escaped out the door, if it could be called escape. Sakura could not find Sai or Kin or Naruto. But Ino and Shikamaru were in the corner to the right of the door, fighting to hold up what might have been an unconscious TeMari, and Neji was still hanging on to TenTen, trying not to go under. It was only Li who seemed to hear Sasuke. He splashed toward them. Sasuke pointed to the pipe.

" We've got to bend this back, " he said.

Li grabbed hold of the pipe with his thick his hands and pulled with everything he had. The pipe creaked. Sakura screamed again. Sasuke held her hand to comfort her, to ease the pain. Yet the blood must be squeezing back over her shattered bone. She knew it was broken. Li leaned his head close to her ear.

" Can you pull it out? " he asked.

" No, "

" Can you try? "

" It hurts! "

" Sasuke, " Neji called, one arm wrapped around TenTen, the other one hugging another steel pipe that had fallen from the ceiling. " Can you get her loose? "

TenTen must have taken in a lungful of salt water; she was coughing horribly. Sasuke looked at Li, and to Ino and Shikamaru struggling to save TeMari. " I don't know! " he called back.

" I'm working on it! " Li replied.

" Tell them to go, " Sakura murmured.

" Not yet, " Sasuke said, fighting to get around Li in order to grab the pipe from above. " Not till you're free, "

" Go! " Sakura screamed at Neji and the others. " Get out! "

" Sakura! " Ino called, flailing in the water flowing through the door. Shikamaru had finally gotten a handle on TeMari; he had her swung over his back.

" Just go! " Sakura yelled. " I'm almost free, " Her brave lies amazed her. She had always thought brave people were not afraid. The water was now up to her waist.

Shikamaru had left with TeMari and Ino. Neji got out with TenTen a few seconds later. It was down to the three of them. Sakura could not bring herself to tell Li and Sasuke to also flee. She almost wished TeMari's shotgun blast had caught her in the head.

" We have to pull at the same time! " Sasuke said. He was to her right, his hands on the pipe above her head, while Li was directly in front of her, gripping the pipe inches below her trapped arm. Li had decided upon a strategy. He had his feet planted to either side of her waist; he would be able to use the strength in his legs to pull harder.

" Let's do it! " Li shouted back. " One! Two! Three! "

They pulled. The pipe creaked again, and she screamed again. The water level passed her breasts, heading for her mouth.

" You must pull, too! " Sasuke yelled at her, probably not knowing he was asking her to pull her bones apart.

" I can't, " she wept, hating the fact that she was once again a burden; she can't do a thing. " It hurts, "

He let go of the pipe and grabbed her chin. Through the pain, the smoke, and the haunting red light, she hardly recognized him. " Please, Sakura, " he said.

He was begging her. She couldn't let him down. " I'll try, "

Sasuke repositioned himself. They counted to three again. Li leaned back and howled as if he was on a football field. The piped squealed. Sakura closed her eyes and prayed for it to end. She pulled.

_My God. _

The pain was not natural. Perhaps it momentarily yanked her soul out of the top of her head. She might have blacked out. She didn't feel her arm snap free. The next she knew, she was bobbing loose, with Sasuke holding on to her. She opened her eyes.

" We'll be all right, " he assured her.

" Honestly? " she asked.

The water level passed the top of the door. That was a problem. Not only did she not know how to swim, she did not know how to hold her breathe underwater. She was really a pathetic girl to have to rescue. She stopped.

" What is it? " Sasuke asked. While freeing her, Li accidentally swallowed a lot of salt water, as much as Tenten did. He threw a coughing fit.

" I'm afraid, " she replied.

" There is nothing to be afraid of. This is a big ship. It will take a while to sink. Once out of here, we'll be halfway home. Go, on, just hold your breathe , let go, and duck down. It might even be fun, "

" All right, " Sakura said. But she didn't move. Sasuke turned around at Li and patted him on the back. " Are you OK? "

Li nodded, although he was obviously far from being all right. He had taken in a lot of water. Li motioned them to get going. Sasuke reached for her hand that was holding her in place.

" Sasuke, " she said anxiously.

" I'll go with you, " he said.

" No. you go first, "

" Close your mouth, Sakura, "

" But - "

" Close your mouth, " He pulled her protesting fingers loose.

She did close her mouth, but forgot to duck down. It didn't make much difference. Water shot up to her nose. Panic consumed her. She was smothering! She had to take a breathe! She couldn't bear it. Then she burst to the surface riding a foaming wave toward the high fuel tank. Sasuke had caught the same wave. He grabbed her uninjured arm, and the wall, preventing her from a nasty collision.

" The ladder's around this room, " he said, pulling her to feet. " We're going to be fine, "

" I hate ocean cruises! " Sakura cried exasperatedly.

" They're usually not this bad, " Sasuke replied philosophically.

They reached the ladder at last. " Up you go, " he said.

" I'll follow you! "she gasped, trying to hold up her right arm.

" You can do it by one hand, " he insisted. " I'll be right behind you if you fall. "

The ladder was smooth and wet. Her foot slipped before she had gotten halfway up and she banged her nose. It was a good thing Sasuke had his hand on her butt.

The next deck was dry. But their pace didn't improve. _Haven _had gone beyond lurching to shaking. All around them, the lights went out, including the emergency lights. Tears poured over her face. She couldn't bear to move another inch. Sasuke pulled her off the floor.

" Think of the story we'll have to tell our grandchildren, " he said, trying to give her courage. She clung to him. She couldn't talk. He dragged her back onto the stairs.

Finally, they escaped the darkness, and the lower decks. Stepping onto the top deck, tasting the fresh air, and watching her close friends preparing to launch a lifeboat, Sakura almost forgot her pain. They almost forgot something else. They were all aboard and lowering the small boat off and over the side when Sasuke suddenly leaped to his feet.

" Li! " he exclaimed. " He still aboard! "

They were approximately twenty feet beneath the top deck, bobbing against the hull. " I'll climb back up. I can't leave him. " Sasuke said.

" When did you last see him? " Naruto asked, sitting beside Kin on the opposite side of the lifeboat.

" In that room, " Sasuke replied.

" You can't go back down there, " Naruto said.

" I can do it, " Sasuke said confidently. Sakura grabbed his leg with her good arm.

" No! " she said, feeling instantly selfish. Li had, after all, saved her life.

" I'll get him, " Neji volunteered. But TenTen grabbed him.

" It's going to go under any second, " TenTen said.

" I'll get him, " Shikamaru said, gripping the rope and preparing to hoist himself up. It was Ino's turn to stop her man.

" The hell you will, " she said.

" I'll save him, " Naruto offered gallantly. Everyone stared at him. He waited for a moment without budging an inch, then turned to Kin. " Aren't you going to stop me? "

" You're not that dumb, " she answered between chattering teeth.

" Don't look at me, " Kiba told everybody.

" I'll go, " Sai said, getting to his feet.

" If he got caught in that room, he's dead, " Shikamaru protested.

" He's my friend, " Sai said quietly.

" I'll go with you, " Sasuke said, undoing Sakura's hold on his leg. But Sai stopped him.

" I can do this alone, " Sai said.

" You might drown, " Sasuke said, looking him straight in the eye.

" Maybe, " he replied. " Maybe not. Stay here, Sasuke, you can't do everything. "

Sasuke held his eyes a moment longer, then nodded. Before Sai climbed up the rope, he leaned over and hugged Sakura.

" I'm sorry, " he said in her ear. She kissed his cheek.

" I'm sorry, too, "

" It'll never work between us, "

" I know, " she said. " Come back to us, quick. "

Sai had strong arms. He was up the rope and over the rail in a few seconds. Neji and Shikamaru continued to lower the lifeboat. They hit the water a moment later. No other lifeboats were visible through the fog. They could hardly see the ship. Yet, five minutes later, _Haven _finally got swallowed by the jaws of the water. Then it was gone, and they were alone in the water.

**Author's Note: **sooo, how about it? The ship sank… what will happen next? Stay tuned!


End file.
